Americans, around the beginning of the American Revolution, decided they needed a strong government. However, from 1781 to 1789 the Articles of Confederation did not provide the United States with an effective government. It gave too much power to Congress, old problems emerged, and there was a decline of nationalism.
Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was given excessive power. America, during this time, would have a unicameral congress. Congress was given jurisdiction over foreign relations with the authority to make treaties and alliances; it could make war and peace, maintain an army and navy, coin money, establish a postal service, and manage Indian affairs; it could establish admiralty courts; and it would serve as the last resort on appeal of disputes between the states. The states did not like this because they believed it gave too much power to the Congress. Leading to an ineffective government, because a government cannot be strong without the support of the states. The loss of support was not the only problem; even though America had a new government, old problems still remained. For instance Congress could not levy taxes, nor could it regulate commerce. Its revenue would come from the states, each contributing according to the value of privately owned land within its borders. This disturbed the states because some states would have to pay more than others. Also, no state was to impose restrictions on the trade or the movement of citizens of another state not imposed on its own. This did not allow states to make money for themselves.
With the states uncertainty of the Articles of Confederation, national feeling declined slowly in the 1780s. With all the confusion about state government and national government, people were leaning more towards their state. The states had been used to being thirteen separate colonies and not one united one. The Articles of Confederation didn't leave much power to the states which had them question what this Congress would turn into in the future.