The Articles created a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments. The need for a stronger Federal government soon became apparent and eventually led to the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

Article V says that “on the Application of two thirds of the Legislatures of the several States, [Congress] shall call a Convention for proposing amendments.” The convention can propose amendments, whether Congress approves of them or not. Those proposed amendments would then be sent to the states for ratification.

It was ratified on “March 1, 1781”, they had to be replaced by the Constitution post the “Constitutional Convention in 1787”. The constitution came to effect by replacing the articles in 1789, as the articles had a number of weaknesses as they gave states too much power, specifically more than the federal government.

No alterations can be made to the Articles without the agreement of Congress and the confirmation by each of the state legislatures. Each of the delegates that sign this document has the power to commit the state that they represent to all of the Articles and their specific contents.

Delegates gave the Continental Congress the power to request money from the states and make appropriations, regulating the armed forces, appointing civil servants, and declaring war.

Terms in this set (13)

• Strength 1. Congress could declare war, and start an army and navy.
• Strength 2. They could make peace and sign treaties.
• Strength 3. They can borrow money.
• Strength 4. They can organize a post office.
• Weakness 1. They had no power to draft soldiers.
• Weakness 2.
• Weakness 3.
• Weakness 4.

The top three weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation included its failure create any central government for the US, its failure to give Congress any powers to tax, and its requirement that there had to be unanimous agreement in order for changes to be made.

Terms in this set (7)

• Congress could not establish a common currency.
• Could not regulate commerce or levy taxes.
• Reied on contributions from the states which were unreliable.
• Could not fund war debts.
• Could not pay for their imported goods.
• Debt increased.
• Shays rebellion ( farmers)

Terms in this set (7)

• 1st. Only 1 vote for each state.
• 2nd. Congress powerless to levy taxes or duties.
• 3rd. Congress powerless to regulate commerce.
• 4th. No executive power.
• 5th. No national court system.
• 6th. Amendments required the consent of all states.
• 7th. 9/3rd majority require.

The greatest weakness of the Articles of Confederation was the lack of executive power, which affected its ability to levy taxes and work with other…

The major downfall of the Articles of Confederation was simply weakness. The federal government, under the Articles, was too weak to enforce their laws and therefore had no power. The Continental Congress had borrowed money to fight the Revolutionary War and could not repay their debts.

Weaknesses

• Each state only had one vote in Congress, regardless of size.
• Congress did not have the power to tax.
• Congress did not have the power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce.
• There was no executive branch to enforce any acts passed by Congress.
• There was no national court system or judicial branch.

Written in the midst of a war against tyranny, the Articles of Confederation, the first official constitution of the United States, reflected the aversion to centralized power that had driven the American Revolution.

Charles Pinckney

The Federalists agree to gain support for the new Constitution was adding amendments to protect basic rights. The federalists helped a strong national government to uphold order. EXPLANATION: Those who helped the constitution were known as federalists and those who resisted the ratification were called antifederalists.

Or would it usher in a new era of top-down despotism and the end of republican liberty? Despite their different answers, federalists and anti-federalists saw in the presidency a foundational truth they both agreed on: ratifying the Constitution would make power, not liberty, America’s core political value.

Federalists wanted a strong central government. They believed that a strong central government was necessary if the states were going to band together to form a nation. Federalists also believed that a strong central government could best protect individual citizens’ rights and freedoms.

Many Anti-Federalists preferred a weak central government because they equated a strong government with British tyranny. They felt that the states were giving up too much power to the new federal government. Another major objection was the lack of guarantees of individual rights in the Constitution as it then stood.

One of the biggest problems was that the national government had no power to impose taxes. To avoid any perception of “taxation without representation,” the Articles of Confederation allowed only state governments to levy taxes. To pay for its expenses, the national government had to request money from the states.