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Articles of Confederation


            From March 1, 1781 to June 21, 1788 the Articles of Confederation provided the United States with a government. Though there is much debate as to how effective it was. The Articles of Confederation did exactly what a loose confederation was designed to do. It was truly an "outline" of powers. Congress's inability to collect taxes, regulate commerce, pass amendments, or simply protect itself made the newborn country very vulnerable. .
             Americans were quite fond of their new freedoms from Britain. So it's no wonder that they did away with an executive branch of government, leaving in its place a vital judicial arm. Free from Britain tariffs and taxes, Americans made a loose confederation with the inability to make states comply with the suggested tax collection. Congress was lucky to see a fourth of the payments it asked for in any given year. The government could not pay off the debts it had incurred during the revolution. This left America's new army without pay for their services, causing discontent among soldiers. Also a frail army left America weak against other countries with stronger militias. .
             In attempting to limit the power of the central government, the Second Continental Congress created one without sufficient power to govern effectively, which led to serious national and international problems. One of the greatest weaknesses of the federal government under the Articles of Confederation was its inability to regulate trade. States engaged in wars with one another, almost paralyzing interstate commerce. Rhode Island voiced their opinion on Congress's suggested powers to regulate commerce very bluntly and strongly. Rhode Island stated that it would be unequal. Rhode Island was at that time prospering greatly from its commerce. They feared that new regulations would bear exceptionally hard on the most commercial dependent states. .
             When the Articles of Confederation were formed, it required a unanimous vote of the states to amend any aspect of it.


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