From 1781 to 1789 the Articles of Confederation provided an ineffective form of government. The Articles of Confederation was one of the first official documents establishing the government of the United States, it was ineffective and failed to provide a strong government. Many conflicts arose in the colonies because there was nothing in the Articles that gave Congress the power to enforce laws or unify the States, there was no solid monetary system, and the country lacked unity and strength because there was no leadership.
The Articles were ineffective because Congress only had the power to recommend actions to the States. It could not enforce its recommendations or laws. Each State had its own constitution, monetary system, and means to enforce the law. The Articles failed to provide a solid financial system to ensure that taxes would be paid. Congress had no way to collect taxes to pay off pre-war debts. Each State had it's own money, but there was no national money system. Since the money had no value from state to state, the people began to use the barter system of trade. This reduced the amount of trade and importation of goods. There was very little economic progress and growth during this period even though the population was increasing. However, Article six of the Articles of Confederation states that "No state shall lay any imposts or duties."Self interest of the States and of individuals added to the cause of the problems. Instead of keeping the United States unified, the Articles were causing it to fall apart. There was no unity because there was no leadership and no court system. Each State attempted to cede land from other States. The boundaries were constantly