Preview

To What Extent Did the Articles of Confederation Succeed?

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1083 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
To What Extent Did the Articles of Confederation Succeed?
Many people may believe it is so, but the American Revolution was not like other revolutions in the sense of it being a radical or total change. It did not instantaneously overturn the entire political and social framework of America. Thus, America still strived for a set government and a written document to back it up. The Articles of Confederation, established during the American struggle for independence from British rule, created the first form of government for the United States. The Articles of Confederation was an agreement among the thirteen founding states that established the United States of America as a confederation of sovereign states. At the time that the Articles of Confederation were put into place, our new nation was encountered with many economic and political problems. The Articles of Confederation did solve some of them. The problems solved by the Articles of Confederation were the desire for final American independence resulting in the negotiation of the Treaty of Paris and the dispute for western land ensuing the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.

The Treaty of Paris officially ended the Revolutionary War on September 3, 1783. It was signed in Paris by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay, representing the United States, together with David Hartley, representing Great Britain. The 1783 Treaty was one of a series of treaties signed in Paris that also established peace between Great Britain and the allied nations of France, Spain, and the Netherlands. Under the terms of the treaty, Britain recognized the independent nation of the United States of America. Britain agreed to remove all of its troops from the new nation. The treaty also set new borders for the United States, including all land from the Great Lakes on the north to Florida on the south, and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River. The Unites States was also granted access to the fisheries off the coast of Newfoundland. The United States

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    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)…

    • 396 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Articles of Confederation had many flaws within it; it made the States more independent but the federal government have very limited control. They weren't allowed to make trade treaties, or allowed to tax which resulted in them not being able to pay their debts. The Constitution was made to tighten up the Articles and set a standard within the States. “ All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.” (A-3) This is what caused a change, and tightened up the government. The government had 3 branches now, each with its own responsibilities and neither was more powerful than the other. The legislative had the power to create a new currency…

    • 193 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Although it provided an outline to how future government should be formed, The Articles of Confederation did not provide America with an effective government from 1781 to 1789. Nicknamed “The Articles of Confusion”, The Articles of Confederation lacked stability and the power to truly govern the states. Under the articles there was no executive branch and no way for the federal government to raise money.…

    • 392 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1782, but it was not confirmed by all parties of congress until April 17, 1783 (Lukes 98). This treaty was signed by America and Britain. The Americans who signed the treaty were John Jay, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams (Treaty Paris 1). These 3 men represented America, or the United States. The member of congress who represented Britain was David Hartley (Treaty Paris 1).…

    • 226 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Articles of confederation created in 1776, was the first constitution of the United States of America. The Articles of Confederation had served as the agreement between the thirteen sovereign states and was ratified by 1777. The Articles had served as the start of a new government that had brought many benefits and prosperity to the country. Even with a strong state government, when faced with foreign and issues on a national level, the Articles lacked a strong central government. From 1781-1787 the articles started debilitating, even with all the gains that it had as a government.…

    • 879 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Treaty of Paris 1783- The Treaty of Paris officially ended the war between Great Britain and the United States. The Treaty declared the United States of America as an independent nation and established boundaries that extended far to the west of the original 13 colonies. They were originally ruled by the King of England and he wasn’t at all fair to them. He would tax the colonists and it made them want to become independent.…

    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    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.…

    • 672 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “From 1781 to 1789 the Articles of Confederation provided the United States with an effective government." During those years the United States government was still developing and the Articles of Confederation was not an effective form of government. The states had a strong objection against the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation was not a government well suited for this new country. The United States needed power over the states to make it a better place to live and have separate states with different laws.…

    • 405 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Treaty of Paris 1783

    • 559 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The treaty of paris of 1783 ended the war of independence and granted the thirteen colonies political freedom. A preliminary treaty between Great Britain and the United States had been signed in 1782, but the final agreement was not signed until September 3, 1783. Peace negotiations began in Paris, France, in April 1782. The U.S. delegation included benjamin franklin, john adams, john jay, and Henry Laurens, while the British were represented by Richard Oswald and Henry Strachey. The negotiators concluded the preliminary treaty on November 30, 1782, but the agreement was not effective until Great Britain concluded treaties with France and Spain concerning foreign colonies. In the final agreement, the British recognized the independence of the United States. The treaty established generous boundaries for the United States; U.S. territory now extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River in the west, and from the Great Lakes and Canada in the north to the 31st parallel in the south. The U.S. fishing fleet was guaranteed access to the fisheries off the coast of Newfoundland with their plentiful supply of cod.…

    • 559 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    When the United States of America won its Independence from Great Britain in 1776 many Americans began to have fidelity to their states instead of their country. Diverse citizens opposed to have an influential government. As a result, to the independent views of Americans the document Articles of Confederation was proposed. It was established with the primary purpose to balance the differences between states. Over time, this document became inadequate to govern itself and protect…

    • 196 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Articles were the first constitutional agreement made between the 13 American states. They kept the United States together long enough to realize unity. Its goal was to establish a written document of the functions of the national government after declaring independence from Great Britain. The Articles of Confederation were not successful for many reasons. It established a weak central government with no president. The government was ran by the thirteen individual states themselves. They controlled their own foreign policy. Another reason the Articles of Confederation were not successful was because they gave the national government no power of direct taxation. This was a bad decision because governments get their money from taxes. Without taxes, the government did not have any money and would not be able to run…

    • 827 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Freedom is a major concept in the founding of America. The original thirteen colonies were founded by England, and many British citizens moved to the colonies for freedom. After the French and Indian war was over the king of England still sent more troops and it made the colonists feel uncomfortable and they got a feeling that the king of England was oppressing on the freedoms that they seeked in the New World. This was the start of the Revolutionary war. The Revolutionary war was a war fought for the Colonies Independence from Britain. After the Revolutionary war the colonies became the United States of America, The Articles of Confederation were written so that the United States would not be under the rule of corruption or tyranny as they had experience with the king of England.…

    • 336 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Although the Articles of Confederation, from 1781-1789, had a higher purpose of attempting to create a stabilized government, while limiting its power, the overall effectiveness of this plan is not up to the standards as needed by the newly formed nation of America, and thus the government broke down by around 1786.…

    • 847 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Following the success of the colonists in the American Revolution and gaining their independence from Great Britain, the colonists achieved what they most certainly sought after—to separate from Britain and never again experience the horrific tyrannical ways of King George III. This is because the colonists feared tyranny and believed that having the power vested in one ruler is not such a good form of government. Thus, the Framers formed their first ever constitution—the Articles of Confederation. However, the Articles proved to be very weak because it did not have a strong central government. It did not have a tax base, a judiciary, and executive branch. In order to fix the problems under the Articles, specifically the dilemma regarding representation, taxation, and slavery issue within the states, the Constitutional Convention took place. These disputes did not only create a problem but they also caused a division between the states. The colonists did not know how great and substantial the issue with representation, taxation, and slavery would affect them, but as they came together and attempted to resolve the problem, they brought forth compromises that would have a lasting influence in the United States.…

    • 1138 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Political, social and economic relationships for the American people were created after the American Revolution. Many types of relationships were formed when the Articles of Confederation were composed, which lead to other events. The Articles of Confederation were written to establish a government. Much of the power was in the state government’s hands. Therefore, the central government had limited power and was weaker, as most people wanted. Though it caused many economical issues. An effect of the failed Articles of Confederation was a consideration of the Articles. Delegates meeting at the Constitutional Convention agreed that they needed not to revise the Articles of Confederation, ut to start over from scratch. Then the Constitution was…

    • 324 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays