The Articles of Confederation

             The colonists had won their freedom from Britain, and created a new country, with a new government, and seemingly new ideals. This new government became known as the Articles of Confederation. These articles were the foundation onto which the country developed. The statement "From 1781 to 1789 the Articles of Confederation provided the United States with an effective government," is somewhat flawed, because the articles provided for feeble Congress, and hence a feeble country. .
             The Articles of Confederation set up a Congress in which each state had only one vote. The executive authority would be in a committee of thirteen. This created extreme difficulty in adding any amendments because each proposed amendment would have to be passed by all thirteen states, which was very infrequent. The powers given to the government included the authority to make war and treaties, as well as the ability to determine the amount of troops and money each state can contribute. However, there was no way for them to enforce it. Under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government could not interfere in any taxation, which included the levying of taxes. This right belonged to the states solely, as well as the right to regulate commerce. .
             Every state in the new Union was different. Some states economies were contingent upon the harvest of the season, while other states were dependent on trade, whether foreign or domestic. Congress in 1782 wanted to pass a tariff on imported goods. Rhode Island responded by writing a letter that urged them to reject the tariff. They cited that it was "Unequal in its operation, bearing hardest on the most commercial states,"(Doc. A) and also that passing the tariff would make the states "Independent of their constituents, and so the proposed impost is repugnant to the liberty of the US."(Doc. A) Basically they where stating that Congress did not have to power to regulate the states economy, and that it was unfair in its design.