Continental Congress Research Paper

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In 1777 the Continental Congress adopted a provision that created a national government. Congress did remain the only central power with authority over the state governments to conduct wars, participate in foreign relations, and to create and borrow money. The powers that remained at the state level, were those that pertained to the regulation of trade, the ability to draft troops for an defense, and to levy taxes on its’ citizenry. There was no executive branch of government at the national level at this time, though a presiding officer did oversee the operation and maintain order in and of the Continental Congress. Each state was represented by a single vote in the new national congress. This new form government had its limitations. If the national government wanted to raise revenue to pay debts or for purchasing of new lands and to draft its citizenry to form an army for defense, a request was to be made to the state legislatures, who in return would decide if payment would be made for these request and more than likely theses same state legislatures refused fulfill the national governments request. The made the national…show more content…
So Congress new plan was to create a single Northwest Territory, which was all land above or North of the Ohio River. This new plan specified that the area would be free of slavery and once the population reached 60000, then that territory could seek statehood. The problems arose, because as Congress was dividing up the territory, they failed to realize that these lands were claimed by the Native American tribes. This caused the tribes to begin attacking the settlers moving into their lands. This was a very brutal time for both the Native Americans and the settlers. This lasted until the battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794, where the United Sates Army finally defeated the Native American tribes. (Brinkley,

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