Home Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos

Why didn''t the Articles of Confederation work?

Why didn''t the Articles of Confederation work?
Why didn''t the Articles of Confederation work?
Learn more about the Articles of Confederation.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
  • Why didn''t the Articles of Confederation work?
    Why didn''t the Articles of Confederation work?
  • Watch the American Expeditionary Force sail across the Atlantic to join the Allies in World War I
    Watch the American Expeditionary Force sail across the Atlantic to join the Allies in World War I
  • Know how the United States elects the offices of the House of Representatives, the Senate, the president, and the vice president unlike the United Kingdom
    Know how the United States elects the offices of the House of Representatives, the Senate, the president, and the vice president unlike the United Kingdom
  • Explore the diverse geography and climates across the United States' Pacific Region
    Explore the diverse geography and climates across the United States' Pacific Region
  • Discover more about Copperhead opposition to Abraham Lincoln during the U.S. presidential election of 1864
    Discover more about Copperhead opposition to Abraham Lincoln during the U.S. presidential election of 1864
  • Explore the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, the Great Lakes, the Black Hills, and more in the American Midwest
    Explore the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, the Great Lakes, the Black Hills, and more in the American Midwest
  • Revisit the battle between Louis-Joseph de Montcalm-Grozon's and James Wolfe's forces along the St. Lawrence
    Revisit the battle between Louis-Joseph de Montcalm-Grozon's and James Wolfe's forces along the St. Lawrence
  • Learn about the successes and failures of the U.S. space shuttle program and the cost of space exploration
    Learn about the successes and failures of the U.S. space shuttle program and the cost of space exploration
  • Understand how Washington organized the Continental Army while besieging the British forces in Boston
    Understand how Washington organized the Continental Army while besieging the British forces in Boston
Related Articles: Articles of Confederation

Transcript

The Articles of Confederation were the first constitution of the United States. In effect from 1781 to 1789, the document served as a bridge between the Revolutionary period, which was governed by the Continental Congress, and the federal government established by the U.S. Constitution of 1787. Since the United States had just fought a war with Britain over its status as a sovereign nation, the Articles of Confederation were drafted to avoid that same issue arising between the new national government and the states. Though the Articles of Confederation technically gave the Congress power over the military, post office, and finances, it didn’t allow the Congress to force states to provide money or troops. By 1786 it was clear that a government managed by the Articles of Confederation would never be an effective one. The example of the Articles of Confederation taught the young United States what not to do when drafting its next constitution—and would pave the way for a more permanent governing document in the form of the U.S. Constitution. For more, visit Britannica.com.