1. "From 1781 to 1787 the Articles of Confederation provided the United States with an effective government." Using the documents and your knowledge of the period, evaluate this statement.…
Regarding structure, the Articles of Confederation, or simply Articles, were relatively ‘bare-bones’ when compared to the complex constitutions and declarations of government other countries had. It laid out a simple and ultimately primitive government: the power of the government was to lie solely in Congress, a group of delegates from all states. It was to be Congress and only Congress to create laws and run most of the government. This concept did not work well in practice: Congress, the only branch of the government, was weak and unable to bring about policy change for the country. First, all amendments to the Articles required a unanimous vote of all thirteen states - something that was quite rare - and even the simplest of national laws required a two-thirds majority to be established. This became a major issue. As a new country, a lot of issues were going to come forth to Congress, and due to the bureaucratic rules that were in place, it was difficult for a treaty or policy to be approved. Furthermore, the Articles did…
There were also many international and domestic problems involved with the Articles of Confederation. The United States lacked the military power to be able to defend itself against Britain and Spain. The British still occupied their forts near the Great Lakes area, and congress found it very difficult to negotiate territory with Spain. Under the new form of government, we had no judicial system or executive branch, but we did have a legislative branch. Our congress was unicameral, meaning it had one house, which was the senate. Because the states were acting as individual countries, they seldom agreed with…
After the American Revolution had ended in 1783, the states were left in a vulnerable position. Although the states had won the war and gained their independence, there was still a huge war deficit, fear of invasion from England or other countries like France or Spain, a virtually non-existent army of 600 men, no strong trade route to bring in money, Indian hostilities and a very weak economy. The majority of Americans did not want a national government, they were afraid to establish one after fighting a long war to gain independence from England. Initially the Articles of Confederation had served as a united agreement between the states but gave each independent state the right to govern…
One major flaw in the Articles of Confederation was that the state governments were given much more power than the central government. For example, the Confederation Congress could not levy taxes without approval of the states. They could only present their ideas to the states, hoping to reach an agreement. When the central government requested a tariff on imported items, the state of Rhode Island refused to pay. This inefficient method of funding resulted in inflation and overall lack of money for the central government. To make an amendment in the Articles of Confederation, all thirteen states had to agree. Although this weak central government was thought of as ineffective in governing the states, it provided equal rights for every state. Each state had the same amount of power, allowing a small state with few people to have the ability to cancel the vote of another state. Many of the states had conflicting views, resulting in large struggles over the amendment of laws. The Articles of Confederation was very effective in supporting small, minority states like Rhode…
The Articles of Confederation was the first American constitution completed by the Continental Congress in 1777. The Articles of Confederation created a “firm league of friendship” between all 13 states. Each state agreed to send delegates to the Confederation Congress where each state will cast one vote in Congress. Under the Articles Congress had no possession over trade or passing laws regarding taxes. However, Congress can declare war, appoint military officers, coin money, and foreign affairs. Unfortunately, there were some downsides to the Articles of Confederation that people from all 13 states did not agree with or argued about it such things as alliance, passing laws, courts, money, and trade. (Davidson, 189)…
Women have always had a dominant role in the prosperity and growth of any community. These roles have changed depending on the time period, geography and race of the people. America had three most important groups of women: the Native Indian, the African, and the European. These three groups came from exceptionally different backgrounds, and played dissimilar roles in their family and community.…
The Articles of Confederation, written on November 15, 1777, served as the written document that established the functions of the national government of the United States after it declared independence from Great Britain. However, in September 1787, the U.S. Constitution was written, which helped endure the national government. Many believe that the U.S. Constitution is better than the Articles of Confederation because the Constitution helps strengthen the national government. For example, most power is held by the national government, there are three branches of government, legislative branch has many powers, executive branch is led by the president, there is a judicial system, and there is a firm system of checks and balances. On the other…
Between 1781 and 1789, the Articles of Confederation provided the United States with an ineffective government, Although there were flaws, strong steps were taken in the attempt to try and make the United States a better country. The Articles set up a government that gave individual states the power to make their own laws and enforce them. This was ineffective for the following reasons: 1) The Continental Congress controlled public affairs but there was nothing in the Articles that gave Congress the power to enforce laws or unify the states. 2) There was no solid system of money to ensure that taxes would be paid or protect commerce, both nationally and with foreign trade. 3) The country lacked unity and strength because there was no leadership.…
(Doc A) A letter from the Rhode Island Assembly was sent to Congress stating the fact that states cannot tax. Under the Articles of Confederation state taxes could not be impressed, which forced them into economic failure. It also allowed Congress to collect from any state without a limit to time and the amount taken; this would allow Congress to become independent. Under the Articles of the Confederation Congress was allowed the power to choose which states they were to obtain money. Congress decided to obtain this money from the states, the ones that were commercially inclined. This act severely affected the commerce of Rhode Island and other states. The Articles of Confederation only proved to be a terrible idea among most states and the country. In 1770, the United States had the smallest population and income. In 1775, right before the Articles of the Confederation with a small population brought in the most income over a period of twenty years. Since the Articles of Confederation the population would still be increasing and the revenue would became pretty stable. However, in time the limited income under the Articles of Confederation would not be able to suite the growing population. Soon after the government would not be able to pay off debt and would not be able to tend the states needs which effected the people. Soon under the Articles of Confederation the government would become broke. . (Doc B), Shows…
Any power the legislative authorities of the central government possessed under the Articles was undone by the absence of executive authority to enforce the meager amount of verdicts that against all odds were passed. Perhaps the weakness of the Articles is to be blamed on opposing individual state interests; however, it was still the Articles that were to blame for the division of the Union nevertheless. Though some historians believe that with minor alterations the Articles of Confederation could have survived for many more years,[15] its fundamental flaw – its lack of a 3 house Congress – was destined to be efficacious in the eventually switch to the Constitution. What the Constitution really achieved for the country was a foundation of authority. It states in black and white the powers of the Congress and the rights given to enforce those powers, whereas the Articles only gave Congress an arbitrary right to rule that could easily be ignored because of its noncommittal language and potential to be…
The Articles of Confederation and the Constitution were both recognized and followed by the same group of people. Even though the same group of people followed these two documents, these documents are very different. One example is the writing style of each document. The Articles of Confederation were repetitive, less direct and less certified for quoting than the Constitution. The two documents have a different approach towards the type of government and its control over the matters.…
Legislation was one of the biggest differences in the two documents. In the original Article of Confederation, each state received one vote regardless of size. This angered many of the more populous states because they felt that it was unfair that smaller…
It was the year of 1787 and the country was in conflict. The new constitution had just been written and states were deciding to ratify it (Davidson, 205). This constitution would hopefully protect better than the Articles of Confederation did. As with many other situations, there were two sides; the Federalists and the Antifederalists. Federalists agree with the Constitution while Antifederalists disagree (Davidson, 205). Each side had valid arguments, but the Federalists more so. Federalists argued to support the Constitution because it allots the federal government power over trade and tax, gives each branch checks and balances on one another, and can be changed.…
“Let our government be like that of the solar system. Let the general government be like the sun and the states the planets, repelled yet attracted, and the whole moving regularly and harmoniously in several orbits.” said John Dickinson, a Delaware Delegate in 1787 (constitutionfacts.com). The United States has a government that, for the most part, flows smoothly. However, our governing documents have not always been so harmonious. The Articles of Confederation, created and ratified in 1781 during the Revolutionary War, was the first basis for the United States of America’s central government. This was a shaky set of laws, yet it evolved into The Constitution of the United States of America. Though The Constitution was created from the Articles of Confederation, there were many differences. Three of these are differences in powers, in purposes, and in effects.…