Isabella Carter
The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, was adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and ratified on March 1, 1781. It established a weak central government that could make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money. The limitations of the Articles of Confederation became apparent in the years following the Revolutionary War, as disputes between the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young nation apart. In 1787, a Constitutional Convention was convened in Philadelphia to revise the Articles, but the delegates ultimately decided to abandon them and create a new constitution with a stronger central government. The new Constitution was signed after three months of heated debate and ratified by 11 states, coming into effect in 1789.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of adoption | 15 November 1777 |
| Date of enactment | 1 March 1781 |
| Date of replacement | 1789 |
| Names | Articles of Confederation, Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, Dickinson Draft |
| Number of sheets | 6 |
| Number of ratifying states | 13 |
| Type of government | Weak central government |
| Powers of Congress | Make rules, request funds from states, regulate interstate movement of mails, pay debts of the national government |
| Lack of powers | Enforcement, taxation, regulation of commerce, printing money |
| Congress representation | One vote per state, not based on population |
| Number of presidents | 10 |
| First president | Samuel Huntington |
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What You'll Learn
The Articles of Confederation
The Confederation Congress was given 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 national government's inability to regulate commerce, tax, or set commercial policy, coupled with its inability to effectively support a war effort, threatened to tear the young country apart. The states were on the brink of economic disaster, and the central government had little power to settle quarrels between states.
In 1787, a Constitutional Convention was assembled in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. However, by mid-June, the delegates had decided to completely redesign the government. After three months of heated debate, the delegates appointed a Committee of Detail to put its decisions in writing. The new Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates, with an additional signature added later, bringing the total to 39.
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John Dickinson, principal writer
John Dickinson, a delegate from Delaware, was the principal writer of the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States. The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and were in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789 when the present-day Constitution went into effect.
The Articles of Confederation were drafted during the American Revolution. The Continental Congress issued paper currency, known as "Continentals," to finance the war. These notes were easily counterfeited and quickly lost their value. The need for a declaration of independence and a united policy during the War of Independence led the thirteen states to draft and approve an organic document for a national government.
On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution before the Continental Congress declaring the colonies independent and urging Congress to prepare a plan of confederation for the newly independent states. Congress created three committees to draft the Declaration, a model treaty, and the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation established a firm league among the thirteen free and independent states, constituting an international agreement to set up central institutions.
The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government, with most of the power left to the state governments. The Confederation Congress had the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers and could not regulate commerce or print money. The states retained considerable power, and disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation became increasingly apparent, and nationalists led by James Madison, George Washington, and Alexander Hamilton began working towards strengthening the federal government. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation, but ultimately, a completely new constitution was created.
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Ratification by 13 states
The Articles of Confederation, the United States' first constitution, was signed on November 15, 1777, by delegates from all 13 states. However, it was not until March 1, 1781, that Maryland became the final state to ratify the Articles, and the Congress of the Confederation officially came into being.
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 outlined a Congress with representation not based on population—each state had one vote, regardless of its population size.
The ratification by all 13 states was necessary to set the Confederation into motion. However, disputes over representation, voting, and the western lands claimed by some states delayed the process. During this time, the Congress observed the Articles as it conducted business during the American Revolution, including directing the Revolutionary War effort, conducting diplomacy with foreign states, addressing territorial issues, and dealing with Native American relations.
The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation became increasingly apparent in the years following the Revolutionary War. The central government had insufficient power to regulate commerce, levy taxes, or effectively support a war effort. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
Fearing that their country was on the brink of collapse, nationalists led by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington began working towards strengthening the federal government. They turned a series of regional commercial conferences into a national constitutional convention in Philadelphia in 1787, which assembled in May of that year.
The delegates of the Constitutional Convention decided to completely redesign the government, and after three months of highly charged debate, the new Constitution was signed. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution. Under Article VII, it was agreed that the document would not be binding until its ratification by nine of the 13 states. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, and by the end of July 1788, 11 of the 13 states had ratified it.
On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, thus establishing it as the new framework of governance for the ratifying states. The Congress continued to convene under the Articles of Confederation until October 1788, and the new government under the Constitution officially began on March 4, 1789, with George Washington as the first president.
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Weak central government
The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, was adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789. The document established a "league of friendship" for the 13 sovereign and independent states.
The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government. Firstly, the central government lacked the authority to regulate commerce and conduct foreign policy. It could not tax or set commercial policy, and it struggled to support the war effort. This was due to the fact that Congress had to rely on voluntary efforts from the states to send tax money to the central government. The lack of funds meant that the central government could not maintain an effective military or back its own paper currency.
Secondly, the central government could not enforce its powers. It could not settle disputes between states, and it could not effectively deal with internal rebellions, such as Shays' rebellion. The government also lacked the power to settle Revolutionary War-era debts.
Thirdly, the central government did not have a common currency. Each state had its own money system, which made trade between states and other countries extremely difficult.
Finally, the central government lacked respect and support from state governments, which were anxious to maintain their power. The weakness of Congress encouraged delegates to pay more attention to politics in their home states and to their personal affairs than to the nation's legislative body.
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Revision and redesign
The Articles of Confederation, the United States' first constitution, was adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and enacted on March 1, 1781. However, it soon became apparent that the Articles of Confederation had several shortcomings. The central government was weak and lacked the power to regulate commerce, tax, or print money, and the country was on the brink of economic disaster.
The Articles of Confederation were revised and redesigned over time, with the goal of creating a stronger and more effective central government. Here are some key moments in this process:
- The Constitutional Convention of 1787: In 1787, a Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia to address the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation. This convention was convened due to the efforts of nationalists like James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, who recognised the need for a stronger federal government. The convention was attended by delegates from the states, who engaged in heated debates over the summer months.
- The Grand Convention: Alexander Hamilton played a key role in convincing Congress to organise a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation. This convention, held in May 1787, was a significant step towards redesigning the government.
- The New Constitution: Instead of simply revising the Articles of Confederation, the delegates at the 1787 convention decided to create a completely new constitution. The new constitution established a powerful central government, addressing the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. It provided for a stronger executive branch, taxation powers, and a more effective system of representation.
- Ratification: The new constitution was signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787. However, it required ratification by nine of the 13 states to come into effect. This process took some time, with 11 states ratifying the constitution by the end of July 1788. Finally, on September 15, 1788, the Confederation Congress announced that the necessary nine states had ratified the constitution, and it was enacted in March 1789.
- The Bill of Rights: While not originally included in the Articles of Confederation, the concept of a Bill of Rights emerged as an important aspect of constitutional revision. The inclusion of a Bill of Rights in the Constitution was debated, with some colonists concerned that it might limit their rights to those explicitly written down.
- Amendments and Updates: The Constitution has been amended and updated over time, with the first set of amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, being added in 1791. The process of amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V, allowing for its evolution to meet the changing needs of the nation.
The revision and redesign process of the first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, was driven by the need to create a stronger and more effective central government. The resulting Constitution of the United States has become one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world.
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Frequently asked questions
The first constitution of the United States, the Articles of Confederation, was created by the Continental Congress. The principal writer of the document was John Dickinson, a delegate from Delaware.
The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777.
The Articles of Confederation came into effect on March 1, 1781, and remained in force until 1789 when the present-day Constitution went into effect.
The Articles of Confederation established a weak central government, with most of the power remaining in the hands of the state governments. Each state had one vote in Congress, and all 13 states had to approve new legislation. The Articles also established a unicameral legislature with limited powers and guaranteed that each state retained its sovereignty.
The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation became apparent in the years following the Revolutionary War. The central government lacked the power to regulate commerce, tax, or effectively support a war effort. Divisions among the states and disputes over territory, war pensions, and trade threatened to tear the country apart. As a result, nationalists led by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington began working towards a stronger federal government, leading to the creation of the present-day Constitution in 1787.
