POWERS
LIMITS
WEAKNESSES
Congress could admit new states and The states retained all powers not Congress had to rely on the state courts to organize the division of western lands, specifically given to Congress. Each state apply national laws. sovereignty, freedom, and especially after the Northwest Ordinance. had independence. According to Article II of the document, each state would retain “every power, jurisdiction, and right which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States in Congress assembled.� It was given jurisdiction over foreign relations, with the authority to make treaties and alliances; Congress could make war and peace, maintain an army and navy, and manage Indian affairs; it could establish admiralty courts; and it would serve as the last resort on appeal of disputes between the states.
The states' powers included the ability to collect taxes and enforce national laws. It was also up to the states to contribute funds to the national government as they saw fit.
Congress also lacked the authority to regulate commerce, or trade, between the states. For example, Congress was not able to intervene when one state passed laws taxing goods from other states in an effort to give an advantage to its local businesses. So, by the mid-1780s several different state currencies were in circulation. Some states refused to accept the currencies of other states, creating barriers to trade. This was a major obstacle to the economic development of the country.
Congress could also settle disputes between states and organize coin and borrow money. Even though it could settle disputes, it encouraged coordination and cooperation between them.
The Articles denied Congress the power to tax. Congress could ask the states for money, but the states often refused to give it.
The fact that Congress could not tax, made it difficult to raise money for a national army. It also meant that Congress could not raise the necessary funds to repay the money that the nation had borrowed during the Revolution. It couldn’t pay many of the soldiers who had fought for independence either.
The Articles could be changed and they Although the laws could be changed, there were not a fixed thing. was a minimum of consensus that was necessary (9 out of 13 states for normal laws and all of them to change the articles). Rarely did 9 of the 13 states agree on any policy. It could organize a postal service.
There was no president or executive Without a separate executive branch, the branch. national government couldn’t carry out Congress's laws. Without a national court system, it had to rely on the state courts to apply national laws.
RESOURCES o o o o o
Only one state had to raise an objection to block changes to the Articles. Such disagreement weakened Congress's ability to act swiftly and decisively.
Chapter 2 – Virtualedu – US Government History.com – Articles of confederation Ushistoryscene.com – Articles of confederation Sutori.com – Articles of confederation Quizlet.com – Aticles of confederation weaknesses and strengths.