HIST 116: The American Revolution
Lecture 21 - A Union Without Power. In this lecture, Professor Freeman discusses the Articles of Confederation. Although they seem hopelessly weak in the long view of history, the Articles made perfect sense as
a first stab at a national government by a people who deeply distrusted centralized power - a direct product of their recent experience of the British monarchy. Among the many issues that complicated the drafting of
the Articles, three central issues included: how war debts to European nations would be divided among the states; whether western territories should be sold by the national government to pay for those debts; and how large and
small states would compromise on representation. When a series of events - like Shays' Rebellion - highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles, some Americans felt ready to consider a stronger national government.
(from oyc.yale.edu)
| Lecture 21 - A Union Without Power |
| Time | Lecture Chapters |
| [00:00:00] | 1. Introduction: A Union without Power |
| [00:02:12] | 2. Representation, Taxation, Western Lands: Debates on the Articles of Confederation |
| [00:10:03] | 3. The Immediate Effects of the Articles |
| [00:17:15] | 4. Frail Foreign Relations, Weak Congress, Splitting States: Weaknesses in the Confederation ... in the 1780s |
| [00:30:40] | 5. Shays's Rebellion and Newbough Conspiracy: Their Impacts on Thoughts for a Stronger, ... National Government |
| [00:40:02] | 6. How Can the States Be United? Debates on the National Constitution |
| References |
| Lecture 21 - A Union Without Power Instructor: Professor Joanne Freeman. Transcript [html]. Audio [mp3]. Download Video [mov]. |
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