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The Articles of Confederation: A Comprehensive Guide to the First Constitution of the United States

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The Articles Of Confederation The Articles Of Confederation R Bruce McBride

The Articles of Confederation were the first governing document of the United States of America. They were ratified in 1781 and remained in effect until 1789, when they were replaced by the Constitution.

The Articles of Confederation

by R. Bruce McBride

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
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The Articles were drafted during the American Revolutionary War. At the time, the United States was a loose confederation of 13 independent states. The Articles were intended to create a more unified government that could coordinate the war effort.

The Articles of Confederation established a weak central government. The central government had very few powers. It could not tax, regulate commerce, or raise an army. The states retained most of the power.

The Articles of Confederation had several weaknesses. One weakness was that the central government could not enforce its laws. Another weakness was that the states could veto any laws passed by the central government.

The Articles of Confederation eventually proved to be unworkable. The central government was too weak to effectively govern the country. The states were too independent and often acted in their own self-interest.

In 1787, the Constitutional Convention was held to revise the Articles of Confederation. The convention produced a new Constitution that created a stronger central government. The Constitution was ratified in 1789 and the Articles of Confederation were repealed.

Key Provisions of the Articles of Confederation

Established a loose confederation of 13 independent states.
Created a weak central government with very few powers.
Reserved most powers to the states.
Provided for a unicameral legislature called the Congress of the Confederation.
Gave each state one vote in Congress.
Required a unanimous vote of Congress to pass any laws.
Prohibited the central government from taxing, regulating commerce, or raising an army.
Allowed the states to veto any laws passed by Congress.

Strengths of the Articles of Confederation

Protected the sovereignty of the states.
Allowed the states to retain most of their powers.
Prevented the central government from becoming too powerful.
Helped to coordinate the war effort during the American Revolutionary War.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Created a weak central government that was unable to effectively govern the country.
Gave the states too much power, which led to conflict and gridlock.
Required a unanimous vote of Congress to pass any laws, which made it difficult to get anything done.
Prohibited the central government from taxing, regulating commerce, or raising an army, which made it difficult to fund the government and defend the country.
Allowed the states to veto any laws passed by Congress, which gave the states too much power over the central government.

The Legacy of the Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation were a flawed document, but they served their purpose during a critical time in American history. They helped to coordinate the war effort during the American Revolutionary War and they protected the sovereignty of the states.

However, the Articles of Confederation also had several weaknesses that made them unworkable in the long run. The central government was too weak to effectively govern the country and the states were too independent and often acted in their own self-interest.

The Articles of Confederation were eventually replaced by the Constitution in 1789. The Constitution created a stronger central government and gave the federal government more power over the states. The Constitution has served as the governing document of the United States for over 200 years and is considered to be one of the most successful constitutions in history.

The Articles of Confederation

by R. Bruce McBride

4.6 out of 5