CHAPTER VII.

THE CONFEDERATION. THE CONSTITUTION.

REFERENCES.

General.-G. Bancroft, History of the United States, vi.; R. Hildreth, History of the United States, iii. 374-547, iv. 25-40; Bryant and Gay, Popular History of the United States, iv. 79-99; James Schouler, History of the United States, i. 1-73; John Fiske, The Critical Period of American History, a graphic and admirable survey of the period; see also his articles in the Atlantic Monthly for 1886, 1887; Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, viii., Chaps. iii., iv.; G. T. Curtis, Constitutional History of the United States, i.; J. B. McMaster, History of the People of the United States, i., Chap. iii.; A. B. Hart, Formation of the Union (Epochs of American History), pp. 95-135; W. M. Sloane, The French War and the Revolution (American History Series), pp. 348-388; E. Channing, The United States, Chap. iv.

Biographies. - See References to Chap. vi.

Special. For Land Claims: H. B. Adams, Johns Hopkins University Studies in History and Political Science, iii. 7–54; B. A. Hinsdale, Old Northwest, pp. 192-262; American History Leaflets, No. 22; Old South Leaflets, Nos. 15, 16, Washington's Letters to Governors, etc. For the Constitutional Convention: Century Magazine, September, 1887; Magazine of American History, xiii. 313-345. For the Constitution: Document, Appendix to this volume; Old South Leaflets, No. 1; E. D. Mead, Old South Manuals, The Constitution; American History Leaflets, No. 8. Discussion: James Bryce, The American Commonwealth, i., Chaps. i.-iv.; I. W. Andrews, Manual of the Constitution, Revised Edition; H. S. Maine, Popular Government, pp. 196-254; E. J. Phelps, Nineteenth Century, xxiii. 297-316, 441-457; A. Johnston, New Princeton Review, iv. 175-190.

140. Land Claims. (1781.) — The war was at end; the independence of the United States was acknowledged by England. At first sight all seemed accomplished. In reality, perhaps the most difficult questions remained to be

solved. In fighting for independence the people had a common interest at stake upon which all could unite; there was no such issue before them now, and the petty jealousies, which had already shown themselves during the course of the struggle, became very prominent. The Articles of Confederation, agreed upon by the Continental Congress in 1777, had only gone into effect in 1781 by the accession of Maryland, whose adherence had been withheld on account of the ownership of the western lands ceded by France in 1763. Maryland held that these lands were acquired by the common effort of all the colonies, and therefore should be a common possession. Six of the colonies - New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland had boundaries fixed by their charters. The western limits of the others were indefinite, though by the treaty of Paris, 1763, the Mississippi was recognized as the eastern boundary of the Spanish possessions, thus putting an end to the extravagant claims which some of the colonies had made. But all the colonies, except the six already mentioned, insisted that they extended to the Mississippi. Virginia claimed that according to charter, her northern boundary extended in the northwesterly direction indefinitely. This would include, besides the present state of Kentucky, the whole of what was afterwards known as the Northwestern Territory. New York was the first to give up her claims, and upon the assurance that the other states would follow her example, Maryland entered the Confederation, 1781. It was not until 1802 that various cessions to the United States fixed the boundaries of the original thirteen states as at present, Georgia being the last to give up her claim. Connecticut reserved the ownership of a part of northeastern Ohio, still known as the Western Reserve, but finally sold it, the proceeds of the sale being set aside "as a

perpetual fund, the interest of which should be appropriated to the support of schools."

The

Per

141. Weakness of the Confederation. (1781-1786.) Articles of Confederation were of little practical use. haps the most important result was that they accustomed the people to the idea of union. By the time they went into force, local jealousies had reached such a pitch that the interest of the colonies as a whole occupied a secondary place in men's minds. It was almost impossible to get enough delegates to attend Congress to carry on the routine business of that body, and again and again adjournments were made because there was no quorum. By the Articles of Confederation Congress had large powers, but it had no means of enforcing its acts, and was completely at the mercy of the states, which did as they pleased. Unable to regulate foreign commerce, to raise revenue to pay its debts, or to enforce its acts, the Confederation soon fell into contempt, both at home and abroad, its credit was gone, and England openly violated the provisions of the treaty of peace.

The prosperity which had been expected to follow the declaration of peace had not come; the finances of the country were in a wretched state, and taxes were necessarily very burdensome. In western Massachusetts many refused to pay their taxes and resisted the collection of debts by the courts. This rising, known as Shays's Rebellion, from the leader in it, was speedily put down, but made a great impression on the sober minds of the country, helping to confirm the feeling that a stronger government was necessary.

142. Interstate Jealousies; Convention proposed. (1781-1787.) Meanwhile, each state having the power to levy such duty as it pleased upon the commerce and trade with the other