Confederation Congress

Definition

The Confederation Congress was the governing body of the United States from 1781 to 1789, operating under the Articles of Confederation. This congress was responsible for making decisions on issues such as foreign policy, military matters, and national finance but lacked the authority to enforce laws or levy taxes, which led to significant challenges during its operation.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Confederation Congress was established after the American Revolutionary War as a response to the need for a coordinated national government.
2. It operated without a president or a judiciary, leading to difficulties in enforcing laws and resolving disputes between states.
3. The lack of power to tax meant that the Congress often struggled to raise funds for critical needs such as paying soldiers and maintaining national defense.
4. The Confederation Congress could only request funds from states, which often refused to comply, demonstrating the weaknesses in its authority.
5. Events like Shays' Rebellion underscored the inability of the Confederation Congress to address economic turmoil and maintain order, eventually prompting calls for a stronger federal government.

Review Questions

• How did the structure and limitations of the Confederation Congress affect its ability to govern effectively?
  • The Confederation Congress had significant structural limitations that greatly hindered its ability to govern effectively. It lacked a strong executive branch or judiciary, meaning there were no mechanisms in place to enforce laws or resolve conflicts between states. Additionally, its inability to levy taxes made it reliant on voluntary contributions from states for funding, which often resulted in financial instability and an inability to address pressing national issues.
• Discuss the impact of Shays' Rebellion on public perception of the Confederation Congress and its authority.
  • Shays' Rebellion significantly impacted public perception of the Confederation Congress by exposing its inability to maintain order and respond to economic grievances. The uprising illustrated how vulnerable farmers felt under economic pressures and how ineffective the Congress was in addressing their needs. This event led many leaders to recognize that a stronger national government was necessary to prevent similar unrest and protect citizens' rights.
• Evaluate how the challenges faced by the Confederation Congress contributed to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787.
  • The challenges faced by the Confederation Congress were crucial in leading to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. The inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation revealed serious flaws in governance, such as financial instability, interstate disputes, and inability to enforce laws. As a result, delegates gathered at the Constitutional Convention to create a new framework for government that included a stronger federal system with checks and balances, addressing many of the weaknesses highlighted during the period of the Confederation Congress.

Related terms

Articles of Confederation:

The first written constitution of the United States, which created a weak central government and aimed to preserve the independence and sovereignty of the states.

Shays' Rebellion:

An armed uprising in 1786-1787 led by farmers in Massachusetts protesting economic injustices and the lack of governmental support, highlighting the weaknesses of the Confederation Congress.

State Sovereignty:

The principle that each state has the authority to govern itself independently, which was a key feature of the political system established under the Articles of Confederation.