The Articles of Confederation: Analysis of Strengths and Weaknesses

This assignment provides an analysis of the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States, which existed from 1776 to 1789. It highlights the weaknesses of the Articles, such as the weak central government and the strong state powers, which led to challenges in taxation, trade regulation, and national defense. The assignment also discusses the historical context, including the states' varying identities and the challenges in establishing a unified nation. It further explores the limitations of the national government and the financial crises that arose. The assignment references the Shay's Rebellion as a direct result of the Articles' failures, specifically the oppressive taxation policies implemented by the states. The provided references support the analysis, offering insights into the diplomatic negotiations and legal aspects associated with the Articles of Confederation.

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Running head: QUESTION 1
Question 1
Name
Institution Affiliation

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QUESTION 1
The Articles of Confederation encompassed the US’s original constitution which lasted
from 1776 to 1789 (Clark, 2018). The Articles created a feeble central government and further
gave states more powers. The economy of the US was greatly affected as the Articles gave more
to the states making the central government powerless in enforcing taxation laws and regulating
trade. The states of the US evolved from different colonies, holding distinct societies and
histories. During the times of the American Revolution, the states learned to unearth a universal
cause with one another, but they barely-viewed themselves as a united country (Clark, 2018).
The Articles epitomized the mindset of the states as it established confederacy, where
states identified themselves as independent bodies unified for temporary purposes, such as
defending the nation (Clark, 2018). The states governments were given the sovereignty of ruling
their territories making the national government have limited powers. Amending the articles was
very hard as all the states had to vote (Kesavan, 2017).
The national government had a hard time raising taxes as it a hard request for financial
support from the states. The states mostly ignored the request for financial support hence leading
to underfunding of the national government. There were financial crises in the US as the national
government could not pay its debts or regulate the trade. The Articles oalso denied the national
government the power of raising a navy or army (Kesavan, 2017). The defense was mostly left to
the states which could not unite towards a common goal as at times they ignored the request of
the national government. It is due to the weaknesses of the Articles that the Shay’s Rebellion
emerged as farmers were oppressed by their state (Massachusetts) through heavy taxations
(Kesavan, 2017).

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QUESTION 1
References
Clark, J. (2018). United States Diplomatic Negotiations Under the Articles of Confederation. The
Eagle Feather. doi: 10.12794/tef.2013.277
Kesavan, V. (2017). When Did the Articles of Confederation Cease to Be Law?. SSRN
Electronic Journal. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.389940