Introduction to The Articles of Confederation

ebook: Chapter 2, Lesson 3
pages 1 - 6

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​The Articles of Confederation

Government Under the Articles of Confederation

​The Second Continental Congress, chaired by John Dickinson, drafted a plan for government after independence.

​How did the Articles of Confederation reflect colonists’ experiences with government?

Their draft plan was debated for months, as some delegates believed the national government needed to be strong, and others favored stronger local and state governments. In the end, those who favored state powers won the debate.

Multiple Choice

What was the primary conflict among the group writing the Articles of Confederation?

• whether the national government would provide free education

• whether the national government would be strong or weak

• whether the government would possess a large army

• whether the government would collect taxes or not

​The Articles of Confederation

The plan created a confederation, or “league of friendship” among the thirteen states, in which each retained significant independence and there was no strong central government. It was essentially a set of rules about what the national government could and could not do.

The plan for the central, national government was simple. It included no national court system, no president or king

Key Terms

single-chamber, legislature

​Unicameral

Officially approve

​Ratified

Multiple Choice

How was the new confederation different from our government today?

• It had no president or court system.

• It had no standing army.

• It offered voting rights to all citizens.

• It offered small loans to farmers.

​Problems in the Confederation Period

By 1787, the national government owed $40 million to foreign governments and to American soldiers who were still unpaid after the war.

Multiple Choice

After the Revolutionary War, the national government owed $40 million to

• foreign countries and American soldiers who had yet to be fully paid.

• individual state legislatures and their leaders.

• Native American tribes from the west.

• American taxpayers.

​Thirteen Sovereign States

After the Revolutionary War, the thirteen states saw themselves as independent—not just from England, but from each other. People identified themselves more as “Virginians” or “South Carolinians” than as “Americans” so, in a sense, the states were not united at all.

Multiple Choice

After the Revolutionary War, the thirteen states saw themselves as

• united as a single strong nation.

• independent rather than united.

• a major force on the world stage.

• a single culture and political body.

​Key Terms

Currencies - a system of money in general use in a particular country

Tariff - a tax on imported goods usually reserved for regulating trade with foreign countries

Creditor - a person to whom money is owed

Problems in the Confederation Period

States created different currencies, which made trade among them extremely difficult. Some states also charged merchants in rival states a tariff.

Multiple Choice

An example of the challenges faced by Americans after the Revolutionary War was how

• it was impossible to sell goods abroad.

• the national transportation system had been destroyed.

• British troops were still stationed in cities.

• each state had its own currency.

​Thirteen Sovereign States

Many states ignored requests from the Congress to help fund the national government and to help repay war debts to other countries after the Revolution. The states did not consider the national debt their problem.

Multiple Choice

Why was the national debt a serious problem for the new nation?

• The amount of money was very small.

• Individual states did not feel responsible for a "national" debt.

• National leaders were not interested in solving the problem.

• The nation had money but no means to distribute it.