From 1781 to 1789 the Articles of Confederation provided the United States with a government that was no more than a "stepping stone" for the Constitution. While the Articles did supply the United States with its first established government, it consisted of major limitations, which made it a weak body of law. Not only did the Congress lack a judicial and executive branch, but also was plagued with a slow legislative process. The Articles dependency on the unanimity of all 13 states left little or no room for change and progress. From 1781 when it was ratified, until 1789 when the Constitution was created, the Articles were destined to be ineffective. .
After the Articles were ratified in 1781, the weaknesses that it exhibited became evident. Not only did the Articles lack the power to tax, but the relied on donations from the states. In a letter from the Rhode Island Assembly, the idea of federal taxation is rejected by the states (Doc A). Since sovereignty lied within the individual states and not the national government, the Articles had no way of enforcing this tax. In order to solve the United State's debt problem, money was printed excessively. However, this did not help the country, but caused major currency issues, including inflation. Another obstacle, which prevented effective governing, was the lack of power the Congress had when it came to making and enforcing laws. In order for a new legislation to be passed, 9 out of 13 states had to approve. On top of this, any amendment to the Articles of Confederation required the ratification by all the states, a measure that was virtually impossible and eliminated any chance of change. In addition to this, the Articles had no way of regulating commerce. According to a chart showing the dates from 1770 to 1792, the value of United States exports to Great Britain went down beginning in 1784 (Doc B). .
The flaws of the Articles increased as years went on.
