Articles of Confederation: Main Idea
Articles of Confederation: Main Idea
Oh, no biggie: the Articles of Confederation were just America's first attempt to create a national government.
Yeah: the Articles of Confederation are maybe the most famous first draft ever. (Second place goes to the prototype of The Great Gatsby, which was originally called—tee hee—The High-Bouncing Lover.) In fact, sometimes people even call this document "the first Constitution."
Under the new rules, the thirteen former British colonies would be organized as a "Confederation" called the United States of America. Representatives from each of the states would gather as a national Congress to make decisions about war, peace, taxation, and whether or not strawberry shortcake should actually be dubbed our national dessert.
The new nation would be a loosely organized team working together when necessary, kind of like the Avengers. But, unlike the Avengers, it fizzled out and spawned no sequels.
Questions
- What were the main jobs of the federal government under the Articles of Confederation?
- Why didn't the government created in the Articles of Confederation work very well?
- Why did the states decide to create a national government, but not give it much power?
- If the states had all become their own countries after the Revolution, what might the consequences have been?
Chew On This
After the Revolutionary War, the former colonies were hesitant to give up rights to a strong government, so they created a weak one.
The government of the Articles of Confederation was organized sort of like a college sports conference (the ACC, the Pac-12, etc.). This created economic and political conflicts of interest between the states.
Quotes
Quote #1
Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom and independence, and every Power, Jurisdiction and right, which is not […] expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled. (2.1)
Well, that doesn't exactly inspire confidence. The first real statement in the Articles of Confederation (after naming the country) references the rights and authority of states, not the new government.
Quote #2
The said states hereby […] enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defence, the security of their Liberties, and their mutual and general welfare […] against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them…(3.1)
This is what movie directors would refer to as "motivation." The states wanted to be safer from attack by forming a united front, but is a "firm league of friendship" really the same thing as a unified country?
Quote #3
In determining questions in the united states, in Congress assembled, each state shall have one vote. (5.4)
This part annoyed the bigger states, like New York, who thought that they should have more votes to account for their larger populations.
Quote #4
The united states, in congress assembled, shall have the sole and exclusive right and power of determining on peace and war. (9.1)
One of the main purposes of the Articles of Confederation was to provide support to the Continental Army, the army led by George Washington in the Revolutionary War.
Quote #5
The united states, in congress assembled, shall also have the sole and exclusive right and power of regulating the alloy and value of coin struck by their own authority (9.5)
This meant that the new federal government got to create its own money. But after they started churning out money to pay for war debts, the "Continental," as they came to call it, became so devalued/inflated/worthless that it was a bigger joke than Joaquin Phoenix's rap career. Whoops.