Teacher Script: Continental Congress & Articles of Confederation

Warm-Up: Setting the Stage (10 minutes)

"Good morning, everyone! Today, we're diving into a crucial time in American history: the period right after our independence. I've handed out a Warm-Up: Forming a Nation for you. Take about 5 minutes to think about the prompt and jot down your ideas. What challenges do you think a brand new country would face when trying to set up its government? Think about power, money, and keeping everyone happy. We'll discuss your thoughts shortly."

(Pause for 5 minutes for students to write.)

"Alright, who would like to share some of their initial thoughts? What were some of the biggest hurdles you imagined a new nation facing?" (Facilitate brief discussion, linking student ideas to the upcoming lesson topics like unity, finance, and central authority.)

Introduction & The Continental Congress (15 minutes)

(Display Continental Congress & Articles Slide Deck - Slide 1)

"Welcome, class! Today, we're going to explore a really fascinating and important question: 'United We Stand? How did America try to govern itself after winning independence?' We're talking about the very first attempts at creating a national government for the United States. We'll look at the Continental Congress and then America's first 'constitution,' the Articles of Confederation. By the end of this lesson, you'll understand why figuring out how to govern themselves was such a big challenge for the newly independent states."

(Display Continental Congress & Articles Slide Deck - Slide 2)

"Think about it: the colonies just fought a long, hard war to gain independence from a powerful king. Once they won, they were no longer 13 colonies, but 13 independent states. Each state saw itself as pretty much its own country. So, the big question became: if there's no king, who is in charge? And more importantly, how do you create a national government without making it too powerful, like the king they just got rid of? This fear of a strong central government is super important to remember as we go through this period."

(Display Continental Congress & Articles Slide Deck - Slide 3)

"During the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress acted as our country's government. It was essentially a meeting of representatives from the different colonies. They did some incredible things – like issuing the Declaration of Independence and managing the entire war effort. They also worked hard to get help from other countries, like France. But here's the catch: the Continental Congress had very, very limited power. It couldn't force states to pay taxes or send soldiers. It basically had to ask the states for what it needed. This reliance on the states would prove to be a major hurdle."

"Any questions so far about the Continental Congress?"

Activity: Early Republic Challenges (20 minutes)

"Excellent discussion, everyone! You experienced firsthand some of the difficulties of governing a new nation. These were exactly the kinds of problems the actual leaders were wrestling with. Now, let's put yourselves in the shoes of those early American leaders. I'm going to divide you into small groups. Each group will receive an Early Republic Challenges Activity sheet. You are essentially a 'mini-Continental Congress' and your task is to discuss and brainstorm how you would solve some of the real problems facing the new nation right after the war. Think about the challenges of unity, money, and defense we just discussed. I'll give you about 15 minutes to work in your groups, and then we'll share some of your solutions. Go ahead and get into your groups!"

(Circulate among groups, offer guidance, and prompt thinking. After 15 minutes, bring the class back together.)

"Alright, let's bring it back together. Who wants to share one challenge your group tackled and what solution you came up with? Was it easy to agree?" (Facilitate discussion, connect student solutions to real historical problems and the upcoming content on the Articles.)

The Articles of Confederation: Structure & Weaknesses (15 minutes)

(Display Continental Congress & Articles Slide Deck - Slide 4)

"To try and create a more formal structure, the leaders drafted America's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation. It was adopted in 1777 but wasn't fully ratified by all states until 1781. The Articles created what was called a 'firm league of friendship' among the states. This phrase is key – it highlights that the states were essentially partners, but each state maintained a lot of its own independence. The goal was to preserve state sovereignty – meaning states kept their own power – and avoid creating a strong national government that might become tyrannical."

(Display Continental Congress & Articles Slide Deck - Slide 5)

"So, what did this 'firm league of friendship' government actually look like? Well, for starters, it had a very weak central government. Unlike today, there was no powerful President (no executive branch) and no national court system (no judicial branch). The national government consisted only of a single-house Congress, much like the Continental Congress. In this Congress, every single state, no matter how big or small its population, received one vote. Think about that: Virginia, a large state, had the same voting power as Rhode Island, a tiny state. And perhaps one of the biggest problems was that to amend or change the Articles, it required the unanimous consent of all 13 states. Imagine trying to get all 13 states to agree on anything! It made it nearly impossible to adapt or fix the government as problems arose."

"What do you think might be some problems with a system where every state has one vote, regardless of population?" (Pause for student responses, guiding them to consider fairness and effective decision-making.)

(Display Continental Congress & Articles Slide Deck - Slide 6)

"Given its structure, it's probably not surprising that the Articles of Confederation faced some serious problems. Here are some of the biggest weaknesses that ultimately led to its downfall:

• First, Congress had no power to tax. It could only request money from the states, and often, states didn't contribute. How do you run a country without money?
• Second, there was no national army or navy. This meant the country struggled to defend its borders and, as we'll see, couldn't even put down internal rebellions.
• Third, Congress couldn't enforce laws. It could pass resolutions, but if a state ignored them, Congress had no way to make them comply.
• Fourth, interstate disputes became rampant. States started taxing each other's goods, creating economic chaos and hindering trade.
• And finally, a critical event known as Shays' Rebellion really highlighted these weaknesses. Farmers in Massachusetts, deeply in debt, rebelled against foreclosures. The national government was too weak to help Massachusetts put down the rebellion, causing immense fear and demonstrating that a stronger central government was desperately needed to maintain order and unity."

"These weaknesses showed the founding fathers that while they wanted to avoid a powerful king, they had created a national government that was too weak to function effectively. This realization would lead them to a new path, but we'll talk about that next time."

Worksheet & Discussion: Pros & Cons (20 minutes)

"To solidify your understanding of the Articles of Confederation, I'm handing out a Worksheet: Articles Pros & Cons. On this worksheet, I want you to identify what you think were the key strengths (even if few!) and the major weaknesses of the Articles. Think about what we just discussed and what you learned from your activity. You'll have about 10-12 minutes to complete it individually."

(Circulate and assist students as they work.)

"Let's review the worksheet together. What did you identify as some of the weaknesses? And were there any strengths you found?" (Use the Worksheet Answer Key to guide the discussion, prompting students to explain their reasoning.) "Why do you think these weaknesses were so critical for the young nation?"

Cool-Down: Reflecting on Foundations (10 minutes)

"Excellent work today, class! Before you leave, please take a moment to complete the Cool-Down: Reflecting on Foundations that I'm passing out. This is your exit ticket for today. Think about the most important thing you learned about governing a new nation from the Continental Congress and the Articles of Confederation. What was the biggest takeaway? Once you're done, please turn it in. Thank you!"

Warm-Up: Forming a Nation: What's the Hardest Part?

Instructions: Imagine you and your classmates have just declared independence and need to create a brand new government for your school or community. Think about what would be difficult to decide and organize.

What are the three biggest challenges you think you would face in setting up this new system? Why are these challenges so difficult to overcome?

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Early Republic Challenges: A Congressional Simulation

Instructions: You are a delegate representing your state in the early American republic, facing critical challenges after the Revolutionary War. Work with your group to discuss each scenario and propose solutions, keeping in mind the limitations and concerns of the time.

Scenario 1: The War Debt Dilemma

Challenge: The national government is deeply in debt from the Revolutionary War. Soldiers who fought for independence need to be paid, and foreign loans need to be repaid. However, the national government has no power to directly tax citizens or states, and states are reluctant to contribute.

Your Task: As delegates, discuss and propose at least two ways the national government could try to raise money and pay its debts. Consider the limitations of what the central government can and cannot do.

Scenario 2: The Interstate Trade Troubles

Challenge: Several states are starting to tax goods that come in from other states, hindering trade and creating economic tension between them. This makes it difficult for merchants to do business across state lines and hurts the overall national economy.

Your Task: As delegates, discuss and propose at least two ways the national government could address these interstate trade disputes and promote economic unity among the states.

Scenario 3: The Call for Defense

Challenge: There are reports of potential threats from Native American tribes on the western frontier, and some states are worried about attacks from foreign powers. The national government has no standing army or navy and cannot compel states to provide soldiers or funding for defense.

Your Task: As delegates, discuss and propose at least two ways the national government could ensure the defense and security of the new nation.

Scenario 4: Rebellion in Massachusetts (Shays' Rebellion)

Challenge: Farmers in Massachusetts, burdened by debt and taxes, have organized and are actively rebelling, closing courts and threatening to seize state armories. The Massachusetts state government is struggling to put down the rebellion and is appealing to the national government for help.

Your Task: As delegates, discuss and propose how the national government could respond to this internal rebellion, given its limited powers and resources.

The Articles of Confederation: Strengths and Weaknesses

Instructions: Based on what you've learned about the Articles of Confederation, list what you believe were its key strengths and major weaknesses. For each point, provide a brief explanation of why it was considered a strength or a weakness.

Strengths of the Articles of Confederation

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   ## Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

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Answer Key: The Articles of Confederation - Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths of the Articles of Confederation

1. United the States during the war: The Articles provided a necessary framework for the 13 states to cooperate and act as a unified entity during the Revolutionary War, allowing them to effectively prosecute the war and achieve independence.

2. Negotiated the Treaty of Paris (1783): Under the Articles, the Confederation Congress successfully negotiated the Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the Revolutionary War and secured significant territorial gains for the United States, recognizing its independence.

3. Passed the Northwest Ordinance of 1787: This was a major legislative accomplishment. It established an orderly process for surveying and selling land in the Northwest Territory, set clear procedures for admitting new states to the Union, and famously prohibited slavery in these new territories. It demonstrated the national government's ability to act for the common good on some issues.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

1. No Power to Tax: The national government could not directly levy taxes on citizens or states. It could only request money from the states, which often failed to contribute their fair share. This led to a chronically underfunded government, unable to pay its debts (including to soldiers) or finance essential services.

2. No National Army/Navy: The central government lacked the power to raise a standing army or navy. It had to rely on state militias, which were often unwilling or unable to respond to national emergencies, making the country vulnerable to internal rebellions (like Shays' Rebellion) and external threats.

3. No Enforcement of Laws: Congress could pass laws and resolutions, but it had no executive branch to enforce them and no judicial branch to interpret them. States could (and often did) ignore national laws with no repercussions, leading to a lack of national authority and cohesion.

4. No Executive or Judicial Branch: The absence of a strong executive leader (like a president) meant there was no single figure to provide national leadership or carry out the laws. The lack of a national court system meant disputes between states or citizens across state lines were difficult to resolve fairly.

5. Difficult to Amend: Amending the Articles required the unanimous consent of all 13 states. This requirement made it virtually impossible to make necessary changes or adaptations to the government structure, even when its flaws became obvious.

6. Interstate Trade Barriers: States often imposed tariffs and taxes on goods imported from other states, creating economic barriers and hindering trade between states. This led to economic competition and animosity rather than national unity.

7. Different State Currencies: Each state was allowed to print its own money, leading to a confusing and unstable economic environment. The value of currency varied greatly from state to state, making interstate commerce and debt repayment very challenging.

Cool-Down: Reflecting on Foundations: The Articles' Legacy

Instructions: Please answer the following questions to reflect on today's lesson.

1. In one or two sentences, summarize the most important lesson America learned from its experience with the Continental Congress and the Articles of Confederation.
   
   
   
   
   

2. What was the biggest challenge the new nation faced under the Articles, and how did this period set the stage for the need for a new Constitution?