American History I

Ms. Page
1784: An Unfinished Revolution?
Background:
Welcome, delegates. As you well know, In 1781, the Continental Congress in full ratified the Articles of Confederation and
Perpetual Union, a plan of government for the 13 states that had declared independence from Britain. This governing structure
has carried the states through the war. Many of you were involved in its creation, but in case you you need a reminder, Its
provisions are summarized below. Please take a moment to consider them:

Powers of and Restrictions on Congress Powers of and restrictions on the States

● Can pass a law or make a decision with 9/13 votes ● Have vote in Congress
● Can change the Articles of Confederation with ● Can tax their citizens
13/13 votes ● Can create taxes on trade with other states
● Can declare war ● Do not have to follow the orders of Congress
● Can raise an army ● Can give money and troops to Congress if they
● Cannot tax citizens choose
● Can allow new states with 9/13 vote ● Cannot wage war without the agreement of
● No national court system Congress

It is now January, 1784. The war has ended, and a peace which involves the United States of America, Britain, France, and
Spain has been negotiated (see projected image). But...it is becoming clear that the Treaty of Paris of 1783 has raised as many
questions as it has answered. First, of all...it took a long time to get enough of you here to approve the treaty. But we will not
dwell on that. Take a moment to consider your state’s status, as well as the general map and statistical data included below.

New York
State Financial Status: Fair
Troops Availability: Moderate

State Situation: Currently, things are calm. The economy is improving, and you believe that there is a strong chance you will
have more money available from your citizens taxes next year. One problem is that a section of your state is trying to break
away from New York to form a new state called Vermont. This part of the state is threatening to ally itself with Great Britain if
you do not let them form a new state.

Massachusetts
State FInancial Status: Poor
Troops Availability: Poor

State Situation: The situation is not good in Massachusetts. You are in severe debt, and after you raised taxes on citizens, a
rebellion arose. The rebellion is getting out of control, and you need help!

Pennsylvania:
State FInancial Status: Poor
Troops Availability: Poor

State Situation: Your state’s economy is struggling, and it does not look like it will improve in the near future. The government
was not able to pay the state militia last month; some of the troops have begun to turn on the government. You will need to
either raise taxes on your citizens soon, or tax other states who wish to buy or sell products with Pennsylvania. There have
been reports of several protests, but they have not yet turned violent.
New Hampshire:
State Financial Status: Good
Troops Availability: Good

State Situation: Life is good in New Hampshire. The economy is steady and citizens lives are beginning to return to normal
after the war. A lot of your success is due to the fact that your state produces products that other states want, and you have
made a good deal of money by placing taxes on those products.

Rhode Island:
State Financial Status: Fair
Troops Availability: Fair

State Situation: Your state is out of debt, because you created your own Rhode Island currency to pay it all off. Other states
are not happy about this and don’t want to accept your currency when you try to pay for goods. You have further angered
bordering states by charging high taxes and tariffs on trade goods. You are concerned about the situation in Massachusetts and
worried it may spread to your state if not contained.

Connecticut:
State Financial Status: Fair
Troops Availability: Fair

State Situation: Your state’s economy has been stable, but the problems in Massachusetts are starting to spread to your state.
Citizens have been inspired by the riots in Massachusetts and they are starting to protest. The citizens want better pay at their
jobs and less taxes. You are also unhappy with your neighbor Rhode Island who is imposing high taxes to trade with them and
is insisting that you accept the new Rhode Island currency when selling goods.

New Jersey:
State Financial Status: Fair
Troops Availability: Poor

State Situation: Your state recently put down a rebellion over the lack of jobs available. Things are calm for the moment, but
your government is worried that protests could flare up again. Your troop numbers are low because many of them are still
working to make sure the streets are calm in your cities. Your new constitution extends some women the franchise, and not all
in your state are pleased with this development.

Delaware:
State Financial Status: Poor
Troops Availability: Poor

State Situation: Delaware is a small state, and although things are peaceful, your state is having a hard time keeping out of
debt because of the high taxes some of the neighboring states are asking you to pay to trade.
Maryland:
State Financial Status: Good
Troops Availability: Good

State Situation: All is well in Maryland. Neighboring states are angry at you for the high taxes you are charging them to buy
your products, but they have no choice because your state has a lot of skilled workers who make products that people need.
You currently disagree with Virginia about navigation rights on the Potomac and Pocomoke River.

Virginia:
State Financial Status: Poor
Troops Availability: Fair

State Situation: Your state is in debt after rebuilding from the war. It has been hard to get out of debt, because you buy lots of
products from Maryland and they charge heavy taxes. You are currently in a disagreement with Maryland over use of the
Potomac and Pocomoke River. Your state is peaceful now, but you worry that if the debt continues people may protest.

North Carolina:
State Financial Status: Fair
Troops Availability: Fair

State Situation: North Carolina is calm, and the economy is improving. Citizens are optimistic about the future. South Carolina
has been asking you to help them put pressure on Georgia to lower their trading taxes. Native American tribes pose a
potential threat on your border, and you worry about them attempting to gain control of western parts of your state.

South Carolina
State Financial Status: Poor
Troops Availability: Fair

State Situation: Poor crop harvests have hurt your economy and forced you buy products from Georgia. Georgia is placing
high sales taxes on your purchases and it has put your state in debt. You do not have enough money to pay your troops, and
you are worried they may quit.

Georgia
State Financial Status: Poor
Troops Availability: Poor

State Situation: Your state’s economy has been successful because of trade with South Carolina. Without the tax money you
are able to raise from that trade your state would be in trouble financially. Native American tribes pose a potential threat on
your border, and you worry about them attempting to gain control of western parts of your state.
Reference Documents

State Tot. Enslaved Free

pop. pop. pop.

Delaware 59,096 8,887 50,209

Rhode Island 68,825 948 67,877

Georgia 82,548 29,264 53,284

New 141,885 158 141,727

Hampshire

New Jersey 184,139 11,423 172,716

Connecticut 237,946 2,764 235,182

South 249,073 107,094 141,979

Carolina

Maryland 319,728 103,036 216,692

New York 340,120 21,324 318,796

Massachuset 378,787 0 378,787

ts

North 393,751 100,572 293,179

Carolina

Pennsylvani 434,373 3,737 430,636

a

Virginia 691,737 287,959 403,778

Total​[40]
​ 3,929,21 697,681 3,231,533
4
Challenge #1
Massachusetts is in extreme debt. In order to keep their government operating, they have imposed very high taxes on
farmland. Farmers have rebelled against the government and fighting has taken place. Massachusetts has a small state militia,
but they are losing control of the situation.
They are asking Congress:
-To send troops to help control the situation (9/13 votes required)
-To raise troops and funds from other states (each state decides whether it will contribute in either way)

Challenge #2
Representatives for all states have been busy writing and revising constitutions, but Pennsylvania has taken particularly radical
steps. Most shockingly, the new state constitution for Pennsylvania has eliminated property ownership requirements. Some in
your states have begun to express the desire for such a move. Three states that shall remain nameless have petitioned
Congress to censure Pennsylvania for this “radical action,” claiming to be worried about “mob rule.”
Congress must decide:
Whether to censure Pennsylvania for eliminating property requirements for the franchise (9/13 votes required)

Challenge​​ #3
Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire have included provisions for gradual emancipation of slaves in their new state
constitutions. Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania have enacted statutes (laws) providing for gradual emancipation.
Virginia has recently passed a law allowing individuals to manumit (free) individual slaves. However, South Carolina and
Georgia are asking that the Congress congress pass a law requiring individuals in states to return slaves who have run away.
Congress must decide:
Whether to agree to pass a law requiring all states to require their citizens to aid in returning slaves?

Challenge #4
The Treaty of Paris includes a provision requiring Congress to “earnestly encourage” all states to return confiscated property to
Loyalists. While South Carolina has returned almost all property to loyalists after an oath of allegiance, New York is refusing to
do so.

Congress must decide:

Whether to pass a law requiring states to return confiscated property to loyalists?

Challenge #5
Drawing attention to the map in your documents, Congress-members will note that there are a number of challenges related
to land claims. In addition to those readily visible in the map: A portion of western North Carolina is trying to break away from
the rest of the state to form what they are referring to as the State of Franklin; while both New York and New Hampshire claim
the section of land in-between those states, that section of land is threatening to declare itself a Republic independent of this
confederation.

Congress must decide:

How can it address conflicts over land claims, questions of secession from states, or questions of secession from the
confederation?
Challenge #6
France is demanding repayment of debts it is owed following the Revolutionary war. It has sent a note seeking $20,000. The
states have been asked to contribute. Will your state do so? Instead of Money, they would consider land as payment, possible
the Ohio River Valley but this would severely limit the growth of the US. France was particularly involved in 3 states-- Virginia,
Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Do you pay? Which states are obligated to pay? To complicate matters, the French foreign
minister plans a visit.

Congress must decide:

Who should greet him and host him? This would be considered a special honor for any state.

Challenge #7
Spain has closed the port of New Orleans to Americans wishing to export or import, and has closed the Mississippi river to
American navigation. Western farmers have now lost their primary means of shipping crops to Eastern markets.

Congress must decide:

What leverage does Congress have to negotiate with the Spanish? What should you do?

Challenge #8
Despite the provisions requiring it in the Treaty of Paris, British are refusing to abandon their forts in the Ohio territory. You
have heard that they are negotiating with a number of Native tribes in the area to create a joint British-Native state.

Congress must decide:

What leverage does Congress have to negotiate with the British? What should you do?

Challenge #9
New Jersey is building bridges between its state and Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New York. It claims it has the right to all tolls
collected and uses the bridges as a sort of customs-- taxing goods as they enter. Do they have this right? What would this
mean for other states? What about goods travelling up and down the East Coast?

Congress must decide:

Should all tolls belong to NJ on bridges connecting to other states ?

Challenge #10
Georgia is charging South Carolina merchants extremely high taxes to buy their products. South Carolina farmers are
threatening to riot if the South Carolina government cannot convince Georgia to lower its taxes. Georgia says that it must
charge high taxes because their economy is doing terribly since the war.

South Carolina is asking Congress to:

Change the Articles to make it illegal for one state to tax another (Requires 13/13 votes).

1) Did this system work well for your state?

2) What were the advantages of this system of government
3) What were the disadvantages?
4) Is this a strong or weak central government? Why?
5) What improvements would you make to this system?