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 laws
Supreme 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 population
1 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
Almost impossible to do
Easier, but still hard to
propose and ratify
amendments
Hurts economy
Congress can print money
Not really one country
Act on their own
federal system,
“Form a more perfect union
13/13 states needed to
amend (change) Articles
of Confederation
No national currency
States joined loosely
together in a “league of
friendship”
Weakness of Articles of Confederation
Problem Created
Fixed in Constitution
No way to enforce laws passed
Executive Branch:
by Congress; states can do
Main duty to Enforce the Laws
what they want
.
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 population
1 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 country
Act on their own
federal system,
“Form a more perfect
union