SECTION 1: A Confederation of States
▲ John Adams
WITNESS HISTORY 
AUDIO
Creating a Republic
During the American Revolution, each state created its own constitution, or plan of government. But the states also needed some form of government to hold them together, however loosely. In 1777, John Adams wrote to Richard Henry Lee:
“You and I, dear friend, have been sent into life at a time when the greatest lawgivers of antiquity would have wished to live. How few of the human race have ever enjoyed an opportunity of making election of government … for themselves or their children.”
—John Adams
Objectives
- Explain how the states’ new constitutions reflected republican ideals.
- Describe the structure and powers of the national government under the Articles of Confederation.
- Summarize the Congress’s plan for the settlement and governance of western lands.
- List the main weaknesses of the Articles.
Terms and People
- republic
- unicameral legislature
- bicameral legislature
- Articles of Confederation
- John Dickinson federal
- Northwest Territory
- Land Ordinance of 1785
- Northwest Ordinance of 1787
- Shays’ Rebellion
NoteTaking
Reading Skill: Identify Main Ideas Use a table to list characteristics of early state governments and characteristics of the national government under the Articles of Confederation.
| Early State Governments | Early National Government |
|---|---|
|
|
Why It Matters After the Revolutionary War, the Patriots feared creating another tyrannical or abusive parliament, so therefore they refused to entrust the new Union with much power. As a result, most authority remained with the states. Within a short time, the powerful states and weak national government faced severe problems. Section Focus Question: What form of national government did the Patriots create initially, and what events revealed that a new government was necessary?
Early State Governments
Upon declaring independence in 1776, the Congress invited each new state to create a constitution to establish a government. Although these documents varied, they all called for republics, or governments in which the people elect their representatives. But the Patriots disagreed over the proper design for those republics. Some Patriots, such as Thomas Paine, sought changes that would promote democracy by putting more power in the hands of the people. But more conservative Patriots distrusted the ability of the common people. They hoped instead to preserve many colonial institutions.
Some States Reject Executive Power
The more democratic Patriots wanted to create state governments with strong legislatures and weak governors (or with no governor at all). Seeking greater rights for the people, these leaders preferred a unicameral legislature, or one with a single house, whose members were elected by the people. Pennsylvania and Georgia adopted these more democratic constitutions.
Most States Preserve Colonial Traditions
Most states, however, including Massachusetts and New York, chose to create more
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