The Articles of Confederation, the United States’ primary constitution, was composed during an era when the American people worried about powerful national governments. The new nation required some kind of organization to hold states collectively to help them to defend off future attacks and expectedly make a more powerful economy, and the Articles of Confederation showed like the best answer to establish unity at the time. The English government had been mainly offensive to the Colonists, who were very hesitant to install a new government that could possibly function comparable to the monarchy under King George. The integrity of the people looked to adjust more with the individual states than with the nation. After the American Revolution, states were still printing their individual money, which was worthless in other states and further limited cooperation. The 13 new states demanded to find common ground and a way to cooperate. During the American Revolution, many states addressed their own state constitutions. These constitutions consisted of political ideas that contributed to equality and freedom. States especially liked the three branches of government and the idea of a republic, where citizens choose political officials. However, when the states came together to finish the first constitution, the nation was established as a confederation, where states were sovereign while trying to work together. Articles of ConfederationThe primary government of the United States following the Declaration of Independence was the Articles of Confederation. A confederation is a state-centered, decentralized government where the primary controls of government are handled at the state level. The Declaration of Independence talked of the many streams of abuse of King George III, who, as a monarch, conducted over the executive, legislative and judiciary powers of the government. In the Declaration, Thomas Jefferson declared that both King George III and the form of government in court at the time missed protecting the colonists’ “life, freedom, and pursuit of happiness.” The unitary government, one that concentrated power in government, was unacceptable to the colonists when they attempted to create a government after announcing their independence from the British crown. The colonists elected to create a government that was quite different from a unitary system where the powers of government were united in a single person. This decentralized system reflected the colonists’ fear of a powerful central government. Timeline
Strengths and AccomplishmentsNot many historians today speak about the strengths of the Articles of Confederation, expected because of how unpopular the document immediately became. The Articles did set the parliamentary body, Congress, as the highest authority in the nation because of the panic of a monarchy. Congress had the individual power to declare war, assign treaties, stimulate foreign relations, and conduct post offices. Conflicts between states and territorial problems were to be delivered to Congress. The document also specified that Canada was permitted to enter the Union if they desired.
WeaknessesThere were more weaknesses than strengths under the Articles of Confederation. The lack of power given to the Continental Congress smothered the federal government. The Articles gave Congress the ability to pass laws but no power to implement those laws. If a state did not help federal law, that state could simply ignore it. Congress had no power to levy taxes or regulate trade. Without a federal court system or executive leader, there would be no way to enforce these laws, either. Amending the Articles of Confederation would also need a collective decision, which would be extremely difficult.
These events frightened Founders like George Washington, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton to the point where delegates from five states met at Annapolis, Maryland in September 1786 to address changing the Articles of Confederation. The group combined Madison, Hamilton, and John Dickinson, and it urged that a gathering of all 13 states be kept the following May in Philadelphia. The Confederation Congress accepted and the Constitutional Convention of 1787 effectively finished the era of the Articles of Confederation. FAQ’s
What Was One Of The Biggest Problems With The Articles Of Confederation? One Of The Biggest Obstacles Was That The National Government Had No Power To Impose Taxes. To Avoid Any Perception Of “Taxation Without Representation,” The Articles Of Confederation Allowed Only State Governments To Levy Taxes. To Pay For Its Expenses, The National Government Had To Request Money From The States.
What Powers Did The Articles Of Confederation Not Have? Under The Articles, The States, Not Congress, Had The Power To Tax. Congress Could Raise Money Only By Asking The States For Funds, Borrowing From Foreign Governments, Or Selling Western Lands. In Addition, Congress Could Not Draft Soldiers Or Regulate Trade.
What Did The Government Look Like Under The Articles Of Confederation? The Articles Created A Loose Confederation Of Sovereign States And A Weak Central Government, Leaving Most Of The Power With The State Governments. The Need For A Stronger Federal Government Soon Became Apparent And Eventually Led To The Constitutional Convention In 1787.
Why Was The Articles Of Confederation A Failure? The Major Downfall Of The Articles Of Confederation Was Simply Weakness. The Federal Government, Under The Articles, Was Too Weak To Enforce Their Laws And Therefore Had No Power. The Continental Congress Had Borrowed Money To Fight The Revolutionary War And Could Not Repay Their Debts.
What If We Kept The Articles Of Confederation? The Articles Required All 13 States To Agree On An Issue. Making Compromise Was Practically Impossible. So Without Choosing A Different Constitution, The Us Is Stuck To Continue Down An Unstable Path. If It Kept Doing This, The Whole Idea Of A United Confederacy Becomes Pretty Unpopular. |