Articles of Confederation History

Between 1781 and 1789 America experienced a period of political weakness and lack of action to fix the impending crisis. Following the Revolutionary War, America succeeded in establishing its liberty, free of tyrannical British rule. During this period, the new found freedom of America acted as a double-edged sword. Although Americans had finally achieved the freedom that they had fought for, they were faced with the challenge of establishing an entirely new system of government which they organized under the Articles of Confederation.

John Dickinson led the authors of the Articles of Confederation by sharing the document with the Continental Congress on July 12, 1776. The Articles of Confederation provided the United States with an ineffective government, incapable of performing the necessary duties to ensure the success of the growing nation. During the establishment of this free nation, individuals throughout the colonies felt a greater loyalty to their colony than to the newly formed nation which was reflected in the distribution of powers throughout the levels of government.

Americans had recently escaped the clutches of a tyrannical government under the rule of King George III of England resulting in a fear of too much centralized power. Instead, the Articles of Confederation regarded the state government as more powerful than the federal government, undermining any federal laws that were passed, as displayed in Document A.

“The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever. “