Articles of Confederation

The long awaited Articles of Confederation were finally ratified in the second continental congress on March 1, 1781 by the thirteen states. It remained the unifying document of the states until June 21, 1788. The Articles of Confederation put the power of America in the hands of Congress. Despite its intentions, the Congress was unable to enforce taxes or laws. The Articles effectively established a system of expansion that allowed the country to slowly grow and expand. Although the nation was governed by a Congress with ambitious intentions, the American government lacked centralization, resulting in a nation ruled by sovereign states.

As the first written constitution of the United States, the Articles of Confederation created a legislature in which each state was represented equally. The Congress had jurisdiction over foreign relations with the authority to form alliances and treaties, declare war and peace, sustain an army and navy, coin money, establish a postal service, and settle disputes between states. This legislative power that Congress put out allowed it to moderately control the states. During the ratification process, Maryland had raised the issue of western lands that other larger states possessed. In one of its most successful elements the Articles allowed expansion and created an admission process for new states (Doc E). Another successful concern was the equal stance the states could take in equal voting representation.

One of the major governing dilemmas was the United States inability to enforce taxes. Under the Articles of Confederation the Congress had no power to tax the states, instead it depended on donations by the states. The states desired moderate independence and thus, were repulsed by the idea of federal taxation (Doc A). Deficient in adequate funding, inflation soon overwhelmed the nation, devaluing currency by 98 percent.

Another obstacle in effective governing was that The Articles did not grant Congress the power to enforce its laws, instead depending on voluntary compliance by the states. In addition, Congress could not regulate interstate or foreign trade, which resulted in uncertainty and higher prices for merchants and consumers. On voting matters, certain resolutions dealing with war, treaties or the regulation of coinage required the approval of nine states to be enacted. Most importantly, any amendment to the Articles of Confederation required the ratification by all the states,