The Articles of Confederation was the first written constitution of the United States, adopted in 1781, that established a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central government. This document aimed to unify the states during and after the Revolutionary War but ultimately revealed significant weaknesses, leading to its replacement by the Constitution in 1789.
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The Articles created a unicameral legislature where each state had one vote, regardless of its size or population.
Under the Articles, Congress had limited powers and could not impose taxes or regulate commerce, leading to financial instability.
Amendments to the Articles required unanimous consent from all thirteen states, making it nearly impossible to adapt to changing needs.
The federal government under the Articles lacked an executive branch and a national judiciary, creating challenges in enforcement and interpretation of laws.
The weaknesses exposed by Shays' Rebellion prompted many leaders to call for a stronger federal government, leading directly to the Constitutional Convention.
Review Questions
What were the main strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation as a governing document?
The Articles of Confederation had some strengths, such as successfully conducting the Revolutionary War and negotiating the Treaty of Paris. However, its weaknesses were more pronounced; it created a weak central government that lacked authority to tax, regulate trade, or enforce laws. This led to significant economic turmoil and inability to address issues like interstate disputes, which ultimately showcased its inadequacy as a governing framework.
How did events like Shays' Rebellion influence the decision to replace the Articles of Confederation with the U.S. Constitution?
Shays' Rebellion highlighted critical flaws in the Articles by demonstrating how a lack of federal power left states unable to address civil unrest. The rebellion illustrated that a stronger central government was necessary to maintain order and respond effectively to such crises. As a result, it galvanized support among leaders for convening the Constitutional Convention, which aimed at drafting a new constitution that would provide a more robust framework for governance.
Evaluate how the experience under the Articles of Confederation shaped key debates during the Constitutional Convention regarding federalism and state sovereignty.
The experience under the Articles significantly shaped debates at the Constitutional Convention by raising concerns about balancing federal power with state sovereignty. Delegates were acutely aware of how excessive state independence had contributed to chaos and conflict during the period of confederation. This led to heated discussions on creating a strong federal government capable of taxing and regulating commerce while still protecting states’ rights, resulting in compromises such as federalism that defined the new Constitution.
An armed uprising in 1786-1787 by American farmers protesting economic injustices and the lack of government response, highlighting the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
Northwest Ordinance: A law passed in 1787 under the Articles that established a framework for governing the Northwest Territory and provided a method for admitting new states to the Union.
The gathering in 1787 where delegates met to address the problems of the Articles of Confederation, ultimately resulting in the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.