Articles of Confederation

Questions

• Explain how the Article II guarantees that the states will retain most power in the Confederation.

  Article II of the Articles of Confederation stated that each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence. This meant that the national government had limited authority, with most powers residing with the individual states.

• Describe the purpose of the Articles of Confederation according to Article III.

  Article III described the Confederation as a "firm league of friendship" among the states. Its purpose was for mutual defense, security of liberties, and general welfare. The focus was on collaboration while maintaining state independence.

• Describe 3 rules that regulated how states interacted with one another.

  • States were required to give “full faith and credit” to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of other states.
  • States could not discriminate against citizens of other states; they were entitled to the same rights and privileges.
  • Extradition of criminals back to the state where they committed the crime was mandated.

• Explain how representatives to Congress were chosen.

  Representatives to Congress were appointed annually by state legislatures

• Describe the number of representatives each state is allowed in Congress. Identify the number of votes each states received in Congress. Describe the length of each term

  • Each state had between two and seven representatives, but regardless of the number of representatives, each state had only one vote in Congress.
  • Representatives served one-year terms, with a three-year limit in any six-year period.

• What restrictions did the Articles place on states regarding foreign relations.

  States were prohibited from conducting foreign relations or entering into treaties independently. This was the purview of the national government.

• Describe the military obligations of the states. Describe the role of the national government in directing the states in their military obligations.

  • States were responsible for raising and maintaining their own militias.
  • The national government had the authority to direct these state militias for national defense.

• Explain how war was paid for under the Articles of Confederation. What was a weakness in this approach? Describe the war powers given to Congress by the Articles of Confederation.

  • War expenses were paid by funds requested from states, based on the value of land within each state.
  • This system was weak as it relied on voluntary compliance from states.
  • Congress had the power to declare war, make peace, and enter into alliances and treaties.

• How does the Congress resolve disputes between states? Describe the two circumstances in which Congress could mediate disputes between states. Explain why the mediation process laid out is so complicated.

  • Congress acted as a mediator in disputes between states.
  • Mediation was applicable in boundary disputes and disagreements over state laws and policies.
  • The process was complicated due to the requirement of forming panels from Congress or other states, reflecting the decentralized nature of the government.

• What is the purpose of Committee of States? Responsibilities?

  • It served as a type of executive body when Congress was not in session.
  • Responsibilities included overseeing the general affairs of the United States under the authority of Congress.

• Why did the procedure to admit Canada, if it chose to join the U.S. differ from other possible additions?

  • Canada could be admitted into the Confederation without any conditions.
  • Other new states required the consent of nine of the thirteen existing states.

• In Art. XII, the national government assumed the debt accrued to that point. Why was doing so an important step in legitimizing the new government.

  By assuming the war debts, the national government aimed to strengthen the union and establish credibility with foreign nations and creditors.

• How could the Articles of Confederation. be altered or revised?

  Any changes required unanimous consent of all thirteen state legislatures, making amendments extremely difficult.

Check for Understanding

• Define confederation

  A confederation is an association of independent states or entities that come together for certain purposes, while retaining their individual sovereignty.

• Explain how Article II creates circumstances that led to confusion and chaos under the Articles of Confederation.

  Article II, by retaining significant powers for states, led to a lack of centralized authority, causing inefficiencies and difficulties in collective decision-making and enforcement of national policies.

• Describe two powers specifically given to the national government. Explain why these powers were given to the national government.

  • Power to declare war and make peace, reflecting the need for a unified defense strategy.
  • Power to conduct foreign affairs, ensuring a cohesive international presence.

• Other than Article II, describe other parts of the Articles of Confederation that made governing difficult.

  • The requirement for unanimous consent for amendments made it nearly impossible to adapt or improve the government structure.
  • The lack of power to enforce tax collection or regulate commerce between states led to economic disarray.

• What impact, if any do you think the Articles of Confederation had on our relationship with other countries?

  The weakness of the central government under the Articles likely hindered the United States' ability to negotiate effectively with foreign powers and to pay foreign debts, affecting international credibility and relations.

Purpose of Articles of Confederation

Structure

It created a loose union of sovereign states with a weak central government.

Key Points

Limited central authority, state sovereignty, mutual defense and welfare, and difficulties in amendment and enforcement.

Results

The Articles demonstrated the need for a stronger central government, leading to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.