American History Weekly Reading
The Articles of Confederation
PART 1: THE BASIC RIGHTS
The American colonies were in the middle of a war when they declared themselves independent from Great Britain.
By the end of 1776, just a few short months after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, 10 of the 13
colonies had their own constitutions. Four years later, they all did.
The colonists who wrote these constitutions thought it very important that they have written documents. The British
constitution wasn't written down, so British laws could be interpreted any way the judges saw fit. The American
colonists wanted the powers of the government to be in writing, so everyone would know what they were.
The colonists also wanted their individual and natural rights protected. They thought that the British government
didn't respect what they saw as natural rights (such as "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"). To this end, most
state constitutions included a bill of rights to protect these natural and individual rights. This bill of rights included
many of the rights guaranteed by the current Bill of Rights, including:
freedom
of speech
freedom of
religion
freedom of
the press
trial by jury
search warrant for
property searches
These constitutions also restricted the power of government. Fearful of another king, the American colonists wanted
a government that would serve them, not the other way around. One state, Pennsylvania, didn't even have a
governor.
Part 2: The Power of the States
This distrust of the power of the government made for very weak colonial governments. And as the war went on, the
Americans realized that they needed some form of central government to deal with things like paying soldiers and
negotiating with other countries. The result was the Articles of Confederation.
Approved in 1777, the Articles established a Confederation government, which was a fancy way of saying that the
central government didn't have a whole lot of power. The national legislature was the Confederation Congress. Each
state could send from two to seven delegates, but each state also had only one vote. Even if New York sent seven
delegates, they all together had only one vote. (So they had to agree on what they were voting for or against.)
Any important decision had to be approved by 9 of the 13 states. This included laws, treaties, and payment for
soldiers. Here is a breakdown of the powers granted and denied the Confederation government:
Powers Granted
declare war and make peace
maintain an army and navy
make treaties with other
countries
borrow money
establish a postal service
Power Denied
an executive branch
raising taxes
stopping states from printing
their own money
regulate trade with other
countries or between states
court system
Continue on 
The Articles of Confederation (continued)
Part 3: The First National Government
To us today, viewed through the looking glass of the
Constitution, these look like trouble. How can a central
government hope to survive if it can't raise taxes or doesn't even
have a court system?
But to the American colonists of 1777, this was a giant step
forward. They were willing to put some of their trust in the
hands of a national government, but they also wanted the
power to keep that government in check and even dissolve it,
if they thought it was necessary.
Besides, they were in the middle of a war. It wasn't until 1781
that the Articles of Confederation was finally adopted. By that
time, the Revolutionary War was almost over.
Despite what we today think are their glaring weaknesses, the
Articles established the first national government for the new
nation, the United States of America. In light of the terrible
treatment the American people had received so very recently,
this new government was a welcome sight indeed.
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/articlesofconfederation1.htm
The Articles of Confederation became the ruling document in the
new nation after they were ratified by the last of the 13
American states, Maryland, in 1781. The Articles created a
nation that was "a league of friendship and perpetual union."
The following are the major challenges to governing through the Articles of Confederation.
Congress (the central government) was made up of delegates chosen by the states and could conduct foreign
affairs, make treaties, declare war, maintain an army and a navy, coin money, and establish post offices.
However, measures passed by Congress had to be approved by 9 of the 13 states.
Congress was severely limited in its powers. It could not raise money by collecting taxes; it had no control
over foreign commerce; it could pass laws but could not force the states to comply with them. Thus, the
government was dependent on the willingness of the various states to carry out its measures, and often the
states refused to cooperate.
The articles were virtually impossible to amend, so problems could not be corrected.
In the words of George Washington, the government created by the Articles of the Confederation was "little more
than the shadow without the substance." As the need for a stronger federal government began to be realized,
leaders from throughout the states got together to decide how to create it.
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/documents/articles/index.html
QUESTIONS for this week’s reading should be
written as notes and can be used on the
Weekly Reading Quiz on Friday.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is the purpose of state constitutions?
Why did state constitutions include a bill of rights?
What powers were denied to government in the Articles of Confederation?
What powers were granted to government in the Articles of Confederation?
What were problems of the Articles of Confederation?