Articles of Confederation
Proposed in 1777 and ratified in 1781, the Articles of Confederation were the first constitution of the United States. The Articles created strong state governments and limited the federal government. The national government would be composed of a Congress that would equally represent each state. According to the Articles, only states had the power to tax citizens. Congress was also not able to draft soldiers or regulate trade. The Articles of Confederation also made no provision for a president and also created term limits for representatives. Because there was no pressure to make payments to the federal government, states did not make contributions and Congress was not able to pay off debts or members of the military. Along with other events of the 1780s, leaders in the country decided that the Articles of Confederation were not a sufficient way to run the government.
Read more about this topic: America's Critical Period
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