What are the Articles of Confederation?
The first Constitution of the United States
All states were eager to govern themselves but there were
certain things they could not do on their own:
-raise and maintain an army
-separate armies were no match for the British
How did the Articles of Confederation set
up the government?
-One house legislature
-Each state had one vote
-Congress was the only one with authority over
the army and deal with foreign countries
WEAKNESSES of the Articles of Confederation
-No chief executive
-Laws needed approval by 9 of the 13 states
-Congress did not have the power to tax citizens
-Congress did not have the power to draft an army
-No national court system
-Any amendments (changes) to the articles had to be approved
by all 13 states
-Congress did not have the power to collect state debts owed to
the federal government
-Congress did not have the power to settle disputes among states
Why were these weaknesses included
in the Articles to begin with?
Many of the weaknesses were included because the
colonists did not want a strong central government. They
were fearful that if the central government was strong,
their individual rights as citizens would be taken away.
The Articles of Confederation gave the states ultimate
authority.