Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation served as the first constitution of the United States, adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and ratified by all 13 states on March 1, 1781.

The primary goal of the Articles of Confederation was to establish a league of friendship among the states, providing a loose framework for cooperation in matters such as defense and foreign affairs.

The Articles created a unicameral legislature, the Continental Congress, in which each state had one vote, regardless of size or population.

One of the major weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation was the lack of a strong central government. It had no power to tax, regulate commerce, or enforce laws, making it difficult for the national government to address economic and interstate issues.

Amendments to the Articles required unanimous consent from all 13 states, making it practically impossible to change the document.

The national government under the Articles had difficulty raising funds for the military, leading to financial instability and the inability to pay off war debts incurred during the Revolutionary War.

Shays’ Rebellion in 1786-1787 highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles as a central government could not effectively respond to internal unrest. This event played a role in the call for a Constitutional Convention.

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was a notable success under the Articles, providing a system for the orderly creation of new states in the Northwest Territory and prohibiting slavery in those territories.

The Articles of Confederation were replaced by the U.S. Constitution, drafted during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 and ratified by the states in 1788.

While criticized for its weaknesses, the Articles of Confederation also laid the foundation for certain principles and ideas that influenced the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, including the concept of a union of sovereign states.