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The Articles of Confederation Homework
After the Revolution the thirteen colonies were officially independent from Great Britain. They needed
to create a system of government to run this new nation. Governments are created to establish order.
Americans also recognized the need for some kind of federal (national), or central government. A
federal government is a combined government including ALL the states. So they decided to form a
confederation, or a union of states with EQUAL power. The first plan of government for the United
States was known as The Articles of Confederation and became the ruling document in the new
nation. The Articles created a nation that was "a league of friendship and perpetual union." Because
of their recent experience with British rule, the former colonists were afraid of creating a federal
(national) government that would be too powerful. Therefore, the Articles of Confederation
deliberately placed more power in the hands of the individual states, making the new federal
(national) government very weak.
Provisions (Parts of the
Articles of Confederation
“Article II. Each state retains
its sovereignty [supreme
power], freedom and every
power, jurisdiction, and right,
which is not expressly
delegated to the United
States…”
“Article III. The states
hearby enter into a firm
league of friendship with each
other, for their common
defense, the security of their
liberties, and their general
welfare, binding themselves to
assist each other against all
attacks upon them…”
“Article V. In determining
questions in the United States
in Congress assembled, each
State shall have only one
vote.”
“Article VI. No state,
without the consent of the
Congress, shall enter into any
conference alliance or treaty
with any king, prince, or
state.”
What this means in your own
words…
Symbol/Image