Articles of Confederation

            The Articles of Confederation provided the United States with both an effective and ineffective government. This confederation affected the colonies politically, economically, and geographically. .
             Politically the Articles of Confederation proved to be ineffective. Boundary disputes between the states were prevalent. This resulted from the national government's lack of supremacy over the states. Among the most competitive of the states were Virginia and Rhode Island as shown in Document A. Both Virginia and Rhode Island as showed disagreement towards the Articles. These states more than the agricultural states, because they draw most from commerce (Doc.A). The states were also effected by the one vote per state law, as shown in Document E. This Article gave Virginia more power than small states such as Rhode Island. The articles also affected the states with British retention of forts in the NorthWest (Doc E). This resulted in the government's lack of power to enforce treaties. .
             The colonies were also affected economically. Tension rose among the states, and they began attacking one another. The states began taxing one another. The states began taxing imported goods and collecting money from commerce (Doc. A). The government lacked money to tax the colonies. The low economy resulted in a growth of trade (Doc. B). There was no regulation of interstate commerce, which led to commercial disputes among the states. Britain still had control of the territories in the United States (Doc. D). The United States wanted control of the territories in their own country. European countries had no respect for the American States. They used Pirates to raid American ships and blocked ports in the U.S. Foreign policy had changed (Doc F). The Mississippi River was closed to Americans.
             Geographically also played an important role in the Articles. There were many land and water obstacles in the way of America.