The Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation

Independence from Britain made necessary the establishment of a new

government. Eleven states drew up new constitutions; Connecticut and Rhode

Island revised colonial charters. The Articles of Confederation created a loose

union of near-sovereign states. The Confederation was inadequate and was

failing in the structure of government. They also were in deep trouble, financially

and economically. The Articles of Confederation probably achieved its most

important success in the handling of west diplomatic and financial concerns. In

evaluting post-American Revolutionary War, overall the Articles of

Confederation did not provide the United States with an effective government

due to the lack of central power.

Upon Independence, financial problems troubled the Confederation

government. During the American Revolutionary War for independence,

Congress and the states had printed "good faith" paper currency. It became

virtually worthless and was never redeemed. The structure of the Articles of

Confederation allowed the Congress to request funds and borrow money but not

lay taxes or collect tariffs. Congress had to either borrow funds from private

suppliers or tax the states to finance reconstruction after the war. Unable to tax

without the approval of all 13 states, Congress turned to a wealthy, self-made

Philiadelphia merchant, Robert Morris, who in 1781 became the nation's

superintendant of finance. Morris proposed that the states authorize the

collection of a nationalimport duty of 5 percent to finance the congression

budget and to guarantee interest payments on the war debt. In (Doc. A) a letter

from the Rhode Island Assembly to Congress on (Nov. 30, 1782), Rhode Island...

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...l powers and more

regulations on the states. These changes were necessary to the Confederation

and the United States to secure justice and organization.

Overall, The Articles of Confederation did not provide an effective

government. It did not satisfy the people,unify the states, nor keep the people

financially and economically happy. The Confederation was too weak, while the

states had strong seperate government. The states had much of freedom and

independece. There were some great achievements which were the Bill of

Rights and the western land claims, but these achievements did not really help

the Congress to make a strong central government. These were good to the

states, gving them more rights and freedom, not the central government. Later

on, these problems would lead to a stronger central government in order to keep

an effective government.