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It would first help to understand for what the Articles of Confederation was intended. It was meant to represent the various States in time of war and as a national entity for international relations with other nations. In this narrow sense it accomplished what it was intended to do.

It was a document of ‘Articles of Confederation’ and perpetual Union between the States
Each State retained its sovereignty, freedom and independence and every power, jurisdiction and right which is not expressly delegated to the United States in Congress assembled. The intent was for their common defense, the security of their liberties, their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever.

I suggest that anyone read the Articles in full, it is a simple short document and quite informative. Some few points are worthy of note here.
It supports the laws and courts of each State;
Delegates to the Constitutional Congress shall be appointed by the various State legislature;
Each State had one vote in the Continental Congress;
States could not initiate sending or receiving any embassy to, enter into any agreement, alliance or treaty with any foreign power;
No shall any State interfere with any treaty;
Navies are not the business of the States except as defined by the Congress;
States shall keep a well regulated militia, armed and have available for it the required supplies arms, etc.;
Unless invaded, not State shall engage in war;
All charges of war shall be defrayed from a common treasury;
Taxes for war charges shall be laid and collected by the States;
The United States shall have sole power to declare war, of sending and receiving ambassadors, entering into treaties;
The Congress Assembled was the last resort for disputes between 2 or more States;
The Congress Assembled had the sole and exclusive right and power of regulating the alloy and value of coin struck by their own authority, or by that of the respective States (this did not ban other sources of other coin including private. A central bank did not occur until after the Constitution and was ended in the Jackson era not to arise again until 1914);
Fixing the standards weights and measures;
Establishing and regulating post offices;
Appointing all officers in the service of the United States;
The Congress Assembled controlled the Navy which most of the day believed was enough for defense.

The idea of confederation of 13 separate nations (because that is what they were) worked relatively well during war and most foreign involvements, however, it was in the domestic functions of nationhood where it was not doing as well as some desired. And yet, this didn’t mean that all wanted to leave the Articles of Confederation or even saw a need to do so. The idea of a ‘strong’ general government was anathema to nearly all except a very few and the idea (directive) to the convention delegates was to only fix what they had.

Clearly much of the problems arose around two issues, how the use of a central power would be divided among the States and the collecting of taxes to pay for the needs of this central power. Very few saw the need of a strong central government which was in ascendancy of a sovereign position over the States. Most believed most strongly in the power and sovereignty of the States. All the States already had their own Constitutions and were considered Free, Independent, and Sovereign (refer to the body of the Articles of Confederation and the 1783 Treaty of Peace with Great Britain). Evolving the Articles of Confederation to address domestic needs of peace time, or even writing a new Constitution, focused on the same primary question of placement of power. How to keep a general government to heel with controlled use of power and how the use of that power would be divided among the States.

Although not to everyone’s satisfaction, this challenge was addressed by a few elements. First was the structure of the new government into three (and separate) functions of Congress (and that divided into an upper and lower house), the Executive, and Judiciary. None of this was to be elected by the people as a whole and only the lower house of Congress would have members elected by direct vote and that by a very limited control of that vote. This was to be a general government of the States.
Secondly, the new general government would have nearly all of its initiating of power within the lower house and this was controlled by delegated powers (refer to Article 1, Section 8, Clauses 1 through 18).
Thirdly a Bill of Rights. This resulted after some of the strongest debate and was to be the first order of business for the new government post ratification. Alexander Hamilton (arguably the leader for a strong central government) did not see a need because that new central government would exist only within the delegated powers which defined it and a bill of rights could be interpreted to imply other existing powers (time has proven him correct.) Additionally, this was not a list of rights such as existed in past documents (refer to the Bill of Rights of 1689) or the Bills of Rights existing within the Constitutions of the States. Rather it was comprised of two types of articles, the first eight of which were exclusionary in nature by ‘excluding’ the federal government from specific acts and the last two as declaratory acts of truths.

All of this came together and did address the problems of the Articles of Confederation in peace time. With hindsight always best, we have seen this True Intent of the Founders eroded away (particularly by President Lincoln in his 1860s war against the Constitution) until the federal government is supreme over all of the land.

2007-04-08 01:33:14 · answer #1 · answered by Randy 7 · 0 0

Failure Of Articles Of Confederation

2016-10-16 07:15:40 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0 0

The Constitution created a Federalist government with a strong central government at the national level and weaker governments at state and local levels.
Under the Articles, there was no national currency; with the Constitution, the dollar was established as national currency.
The Constitution gave Congress the power to tax, something they didn't have with the Articles.
The Constitution also gave Congress the power to create an Army and Navy for national protection; under the Articles, there was no national defense, just local militias.
Further, the Constitution gave Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce so that unfair taxes couldn't be placed on goods coming in and out of states.
In addition, the Constitution set up a system to elect a president and members of Congress.

Hope that helps!

2007-04-05 15:39:53 · answer #3 · answered by ebigstanks 2 · 2 2

in many techniques, the Articles of Confederation could be considered the 1st us of a shape. accompanied by potential of the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777 and ratified by potential of all 13 unique states in 1781, the Articles created a union of sovereign states. by potential of 1787, the Constitutional convention replaced into convened and finally, what continues to be at present familiar because of the fact us of a of america shape replaced into authorized and altered the Articles of Confederation. in this analyze, those 2 pivotal records would be in comparison and contrasted in an attempt to understand and appreciate them the two. The Articles of Confederation and shape rather actually, the Articles of Confederation grant for a confederation of states, it rather is to assert that the checklist took what have been person colonies previous to the agency of us of a of america and made them a union of states that still stored a point of individuality yet have been united by potential of the worry-unfastened prefer to stay self sufficient of any distant places administration, wanted to be waiting to deliver at the same time taxes from voters to grant for the needs of the states, and to work together in commerce with different states. This replaced into an marvelous step interior the excellent direction governmentally, regardless of the undeniable fact that it replaced into no longer adequate. There needed to be a unification of the states in that offered for the means for the states to be represented as a u . s . a ., to be secure as a u . s . a ., and to grant for the earnings of all voters as a u . s . a .. understanding this, the founding fathers who laid the muse of the U. S. interior the 1st place, moved forward with super warning, understanding that they needed to create a clean legislative checklist yet in addition understanding that it needed to be an progression over the Articles if it have been to be helpful. it rather is how the form got here into existence.

2016-10-21 03:52:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Basically the constitution gave most the power of Govt to the Federal Govt. not the state govts. like the Article of confederation wanted.

2007-04-05 15:29:32 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0 1

By basically rewriting the whole darn thing!
We created an army
One national currency..not freakin 14
more power to executive branch (not as much as the legislative)

2007-04-05 15:31:32 · answer #6 · answered by Peace Love 2 · 1 1

Mainly by giving the federal government the means to pay its bills. Unfortunately, we mucked that up by giving them unlimited access to our paychecks.

2007-04-05 15:28:50 · answer #7 · answered by open4one 7 · 0 1

Do your own homework. This is actually an interesting subject, and me just giving you the answer would deprive you of a good learning experience.
You can go ahead and think I suck now.

2007-04-05 15:30:16 · answer #8 · answered by deathstarcanteen 2 · 1 3

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