Articles of Confederation Overview

Questions and Answers

What is the Articles of Confederation?

Bill of Rights

First written agreement and first constitution of USA (correct)

First amendment to the Constitution

Declaration of Independence

What power does Congress have regarding foreign affairs?

Congress has the power to deal with foreign affairs and authority to declare war, make peace, alliances, and sign treaties.

What was a weakness concerning voting in the Articles of Confederation?

There was only one vote per state, regardless of its size.

What was a significant weakness of the Articles regarding judiciary?

There were no national courts. Signup and view all the answers

What capability did the Articles lack in terms of state commerce?

No power to regulate commerce or trade between the states. Signup and view all the answers

What was a major financial weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

National government didn't have power to tax. Signup and view all the answers

What was a key limitation regarding the enforcement of laws?

Congress couldn't force states to obey its laws. Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the military weaknesses of the Articles?

There was no national army or navy. Signup and view all the answers

What leadership issue did the Articles of Confederation face?

No president, lacked strength and solid leader. Signup and view all the answers

What was a financial limitation pertaining to border encroachments?

No power to raise money to pay for action against border encroachments. Signup and view all the answers

What was the required voting consensus for changes to the Articles?

Any changes to Articles required unanimous vote. Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant proposal outlined in the Land Ordinance of 1785?

It provided a way for the federal government to divide land for sale and raise revenue in the Northwest Territory. Signup and view all the answers

What did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 establish?

It provided the rules and procedures for how a territory could become a state. Signup and view all the answers

What did Shays' Rebellion demonstrate?

It proved that the Articles of Confederation was too weak to work. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Articles of Confederation Overview

First written agreement and constitution of the United States.
Established a framework for governance post-Independence.

Strengths

Granted Congress authority to manage foreign affairs, including declaring war and forming alliances.
Allowed for the creation of new states with populations exceeding 60,000.
Enabled Congress to establish key departments: Treasury, Postal Service, and Foreign Affairs.
Empowered Congress to handle Native Indian affairs.
Encouraged inter-state cooperation and dispute resolution among states.

Weaknesses

Each state received one vote regardless of its population size, leading to unequal representation.
Absence of national courts hindered the enforcement of laws and resolution of disputes.
Lacked power to regulate inter-state commerce, resulting in varied state-imposed trade taxes.
National government had no authority to levy taxes; relied solely on state contributions for revenue.
Congress could not enforce laws or taxation, leading to widespread disregard for its mandates.
No national military forces were established, leaving the country vulnerable.
Absence of a president contributed to a lack of strong, centralized leadership.
Different states issued their own paper money, complicating financial transactions.
Inability to gather funds for responses to border encroachments limited federal actions.
Any amendments required unanimous consent from all states, causing delays in necessary changes.
Overall state power overshadowed the weak central government authority.

Important Policies and Events

Land Ordinance of 1785: Provided a systematic method for selling and distributing land in the Northwest Territory to generate federal revenue.
Northwest Ordinance of 1787: Established guidelines for territories to transition into states, promoting orderly expansion.
Shays' Rebellion: Demonstrated the ineffectiveness and weakness of the Articles, highlighting the urgent need for a stronger federal government.

Description

Explore the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States that established a framework for governance after Independence. Discover its strengths, such as foreign affairs management and state creation, as well as its weaknesses, including unequal representation and lack of tax authority.