Download The Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation
The Challenge of Sovereignty
The Articles of Confederation, which replaced the Second Continental Congress and governed a new
nation from 1781-1789, represented a reaction against centralized authority during the colonial period. In
their effort to avoid centralization, the authors of the Articles of Confederation placed ultimate political
power in the separate states as a means of checking the national government. They described the United
States of America as “firm league of friendship” in which each state “retains its sovereignty, freedom and
independence, and every power, jurisdiction and right, which is not by this confederation expressly
delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled.”
Under the Articles of Confederation, the central government had powers to conduct foreign relations,
settle disputes between states, maintain maritime affairs, regulate Indian trade, and state the value of state
and national money. The new government concluded a very favorable peace with Britain, weathered a
short postwar depression, and wisely determined that the western territories would eventually achieve
statehood with all the rights and privileges of the original thirteen states.
On a sheet of paper (1) explain the significance of each statement/event/fact. (2) Then examine
the list, divide the items into three or four categories and label the categories. Finally (3), write a
thesis statement answering the following question: To what extent were the Articles of
Confederation effective in solving the problems that confronted the new nation.
a. No separate executive
b. Northwest Ordinances of 1785 and
1787
c. One vote per state
d. No federal courts
e. Shays’ Rebellion
f. British retention of forts in the
Northwest
g. No regulation of interstate commerce
h. Boundary disputes between states
i. No power to tax
j. States taxed each other’s goods
k. Kept the states together
l. Treaty of Paris 1783
m. Federal aid to education (Northwest
Ordinance, 1785)
n. No national currency
o. Members often failed to attend
Congress
p. Barbary pirates raided shipping
q. Inability to repay French loans
r. Inability to protect settlers from
Indians
s. Spain’s denial of right of deposit at
New Orleans
t. Little trade with Britain