Chapter 2
Origins of American Government
Section 3
The Articles of
Confederation
A “Firm League of
Friendship”
 The Articles of Confederation were approved by the
Second Continental Congress and drafted in 1777.
 The Articles of Confederation was our first constitution
• Constitution- sets the rules for government.
 The Articles created “a firm league of friendship” among
the 13 states. (Not a nation or government)
 Federalism- Colonies had bad experience with central
government, so they go extreme and make it really weak
 They established a confederation, or a loose connection
of states with no central power or federal government.
 Under the Articles, the states retained their
independence and sovereignty and could better attend to
their citizens’ needs.
Your Turn
1. What were the founders trying to avoid by creating a
confederation, rather than a government with a strong
central leadership?
2. What are the possible downsides to the “firm league
of friendship” that was created?
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Powers of the National
Government (Articles of Con.)
 Decide matters of war
and peace
 Send and receive
ambassadors
 Enter into treaties
 Borrow money
 Coin or create money
 Establish post offices
 Build a navy
 Raise an army by asking
states for troops
 Fix uniform standards of
weights and measures
 Settle disputes among
the states
 Equal rights for those
traveling
What powers are missing from this list?
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Negative Results of the
Articles of Confederation
 Conducting business with other countries and among states
became difficult and economic instability began.
 Newly independent states damaged their own economies by:
• redistributing private property in the name of equality.
• passing laws that reduced private debt.
• printing their own currency.
 A fear of popular tyranny developed. (Popular tyranny is a
political situation in which the people have too much power.)
 National government could not force the states to obey its
laws and notices for taxation were ignored because they
could not be enforced.
 Daniel Shays led farmers in a rebellion against foreclosures;
this protest became known as Shays’s Rebellion.
Other Problems
 The central government was unable to repel the
encroachments of the British on the borders set by
the Treaty of Paris, because the states would not pay the
requested taxes. Revenue had to come from states.
 States put tariffs on each other though they were not
supposed to.
 One vote per state (regardless of size)
 Passing law required 9 out of 13 vote- Super majority
 Changes to the Articles required a unanimous vote
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