Eleanor Finch
The Articles of Confederation, adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, was the United States' first attempt at a constitution. It was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789, when the present-day Constitution went into effect. The Articles of Confederation established a league of friendship for the 13 sovereign and independent states, with each state retaining every Power...which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Articles of Confederation |
| Date | 1777 |
| Date in force | 1781-1789 |
| Established | A "league of friendship" for 13 independent states |
| Voting | Each state had one vote |
| Requirements | Super-majority required on important issues |
| Requirements for representatives | Established |
| Trade | Regulated |
| Currency | Established a national currency |
| Power | Lacked power to be effective |
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What You'll Learn
The Articles of Confederation
Legislative procedures required a "super majority" on important issues, and established requirements for representatives. Regulations for trade (domestic and international) and the creation of a national currency helped stabilise the economy.
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The Continental Congress
The Articles of Confederation, adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, was the United States' first constitution. It was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789 when the present-day Constitution went into effect. The Articles of Confederation established a "league of friendship" for the 13 sovereign and independent states. Each state retained "every Power...which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States".
The Articles of Confederation also outlined a Congress with representation not based on population – each state would have one vote in Congress. Ratification by all 13 states was necessary to set the Confederation into motion. Legislative procedures gave each state one vote, required a “super majority” on important issues, and established requirements for representatives.
The Articles of Confederation allowed the burgeoning nation to request soldiers and funds from the states; however, there was nothing that required the states to honour those requests, which often went unfulfilled. Therefore, the first attempt at a national government lacked enough power to be effective, which ultimately led to calls, first for revision and then for replacement at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.
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The United States' first constitution
The Articles of Confederation established a "league of friendship" for the 13 sovereign and independent states. Each state retained "every Power... which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States". The document outlined a Congress with representation not based on population, meaning each state had one vote in Congress. Ratification by all 13 states was necessary to set the Confederation into motion.
The Articles of Confederation also allowed the burgeoning nation to request soldiers and funds from the states, but there was nothing that required the states to honour those requests, which often went unfulfilled. The first attempt at a national government lacked enough power to be effective, which ultimately led to calls, first for revision and then for replacement at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.
The Articles of Confederation also included regulations for trade (domestic and international) and the creation of a national currency, which helped to stabilise the economy.
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The 13 independent states
The Articles of Confederation was the first attempt at a constitution for the United States. It was adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and served as the United States' first constitution until 1789 when the present-day Constitution went into effect. The Articles of Confederation established a "league of friendship" for the 13 sovereign and independent states, with each state retaining "every Power...which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States".
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Virginia
Each state had one vote in Congress, and ratification by all 13 states was necessary to set the Confederation into motion. The Articles of Confederation also allowed the burgeoning nation to request soldiers and funds from the states, but there was nothing requiring the states to honour those requests, which often went unfulfilled. This lack of enforcement power, along with the inability to regulate commerce or print money, ultimately led to calls for revision and replacement at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.
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The Confederation Congress
The Articles of Confederation, adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, was the United States' first constitution. It was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789 when the present-day Constitution went into effect.
The Articles of Confederation established a "league of friendship" for the 13 sovereign and independent states. Each state retained "every Power...which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States". The document outlined a Congress with representation not based on population – each state would have one vote in Congress. Ratification by all 13 states was necessary to set the Confederation into motion.
The Articles of Confederation also allowed the burgeoning nation to request soldiers and funds from the states; however, there was nothing that required the states to honour those requests, which often went unfulfilled. The first attempt at a national government lacked enough power to be effective, which ultimately led to calls, first for revision and then for replacement at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.
The Articles of Confederation gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn’t regulate commerce, or print money. The states’ disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
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Frequently asked questions
The Articles of Confederation, adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, was the United States' first constitution.
The Articles of Confederation established a "league of friendship" for the 13 sovereign and independent states. It also outlined a Congress with representation not based on population – each state would have one vote in Congress.
The Articles of Confederation lacked enforcement powers, meaning it couldn't regulate commerce, print money, or require states to provide soldiers and funds when requested.
