Articles of Confederation (1781-1787)

• Our 1st attempt at NATIONAL government• State governments existed as well

• Confederation: Power is concentrated in the states and not the national government• Bad experience under the strong central

government of Britain

• Allowed states to do their own thing, but prohibited the states from acting as one nation to solve problems facing the young USA

Articles of Confederation

Government made up of a Congress (Legislative Branch)

• Unicameral: one house or part

• Each state to have at least 2 delegates

• Each state to have one vote

Missing in the government:

• Executive Branch

• Judicial Branch

Weakness of Articles of Confederation

Problem Created Fixed in Constitution

No executive branch No way to enforce laws passed by

Congress; states can do what they want

Executive Branch:Main duty to Enforce

the Laws

No judicial branch No way to settle disputes between states or people

Judicial Branch: Main duty to

interpret lawsSupreme Court

established

Congress had one house (unicameral); each state had only

one vote.

Representation in Congress is unequal

among the states

Bicameral Congress(two houses)

1 based on population1 equal

representation

Congress cannot regulate trade with other countries or

among states

Economy suffers Congress can regulate trade

Weakness of Articles of Confederation

Problem Created Fixed in Constitution

Congress cannot tax No money to fund the government

Cannot repay debts

Congress can tax

9/13 states needed to pass laws

Difficult to pass laws Simple majority(half +1)

needed to pass laws

13/13 states needed to amend (change) Articles of Confederation

Almost impossible to do

Easier, but still hard to propose and ratify

amendments

No national currency Hurts economy Congress can print money

States joined loosely together in a “league of friendship”

Not really one country

Act on their own

federal system,“Form a more perfect

union

Weakness of Articles of Confederation Problem Created Fixed in Constitution

No way to enforce laws passed by Congress; states can do

what they want

Executive Branch:Main duty to Enforce the Laws

No way to settle disputes between states or people

Judicial Branch: Main duty to interpret laws

Supreme Court established

. Representation in Congress is unequal among the states

Bicameral Congress(two houses)

1 based on population1 equal representation

Economy suffers Congress can regulate trade

Weakness of Articles of Confederation

Problem Created Fixed in Constitution

No money to fund the government

Cannot repay debts

Congress can tax

Difficult to pass laws Simple majority(half +1)

needed to pass laws

Almost impossible to do Easier, but still hard to propose and ratify

amendments

Hurts economy Congress can print money

Not really one countryAct on their own

federal system,“Form a more perfect

union