Teacher’s Notes on the Articles of Confederation

Overview

The Articles of Confederation were America’s first plan for government. Congress adopted them in 1777, the states finished ratifying them in 1781, and they lasted until the Constitution replaced them in 1789. In class, I would place them between the Declaration and the Constitution: the Declaration explained why independence was necessary; the Articles tried to answer what came next.

The Articles came from Revolutionary fears. Americans had just fought against a government they thought had too much power, so they did not want to create another strong central government. The states joined as a “firm league of friendship” rather than a single strong federal system.

“The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defence¹Note: “defence” is not a spelling error. It is the original spelling used in the Articles of Confederation. Today, Americans usually spell it “defense.” , the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare…” Article III

That phrase matters. The states wanted to cooperate, but they still saw themselves as separate and independent.

This is the main point: the Articles gave the new country unity but little national power. That is why they became the bridge from the ideals of the Declaration to the stronger government created by the Constitution.

The Goals of the Articles of Confederation

• Work together: The states needed a plan to fight Britain as a single force.
• Handle the war: Congress needed to manage the war, make treaties, and ask other countries for help.
• Protect state power: The states wanted cooperation without giving too much power to one central government.
• Name the country: The Articles officially used the name The United States of America.
• Set basic rules: The states needed rules for voting, money, troops, land, and disagreements.
• Money problems: Congress could borrow money and set coin values, but it could not tax or force states to pay. This made national debts hard to manage.

How it was created

• Congress started the process: On June 11, 1776, Congress chose a committee to plan how the states would work together.
• John Dickinson: John Dickinson from Delaware wrote most of the first draft.
• States were treated equally: Each colony or state had a representative on the committee.
• Congress delegates: Congress discussed and changed the draft before approving the Articles on November 15, 1777.
• State governments: The Articles did not officially take effect until all 13 states approved them. Maryland was the last state to ratify them on March 1, 1781.

The Purpose of the “Articles”

The Declaration and the Articles did different jobs. The Declaration explained why the colonies were leaving Britain. The Articles were the first attempt to run the new country after independence.

The Articles kept the national government weak on purpose because Americans feared too much central power. That helped protect the states, but it also created problems. Congress could not tax, enforce laws well, or solve major issues on its own. The Constitution was written to fix those weaknesses. The Bill of Rights was added to remind people that even with a stronger government, individual freedoms still had to be protected.

What the Articles Contained

1. Name of the union: The confederacy was called “The United States of America.”
2. State sovereignty: Each state kept its sovereignty, freedom, and independence except for powers specifically given to Congress.
3. League of friendship: The states agreed to cooperate for common defense, liberty, and general welfare.
4. Congress: The national government centered on a one-house Congress.
5. Equal state voting: Each state had one vote in Congress, regardless of population.
6. Limited national powers: Congress could handle foreign affairs, make treaties, declare war, manage relations with Native nations, borrow money, and settle some disputes.
7. No strong executive branch: There was no president with broad national executive power.
8. No national court system: There was no separate federal judiciary, as created later by the Constitution.
9. No power to tax directly: Congress could request money from states but could not force states to pay.
10. Difficult amendment process: Changes to the Articles required unanimous consent of all thirteen states.

Why the Articles Were Replaced by the Constitution

• Congress could not tax: Congress could ask the states for money, but it could not make them pay. This made it hard to pay debts or support the country.
• Congress could not regulate trade effectively: States often made their own trade rules, causing problems between states and with other countries.
• The national government had trouble enforcing laws: Congress had to depend on the states to carry out national decisions.
• No separate executive branch: There was no president to carry out national laws or respond quickly to problems as they arose.
• No separate federal court system: There was no national court system to interpret laws or settle disputes consistently across the country.
• Changes were hard to make: Every state had to agree before the Articles could be changed, so fixing problems was almost impossible.
• Problems after the war revealed weaknesses: debt, inflation, trade problems, and unrest led many leaders to believe the national government needed more power.
• Some leaders wanted reform: Leaders like James Madison, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Wilson believed the national government needed to be stronger.

Teaching Connection to the Declaration of Independence and Constitution

The simple connection is this: the Declaration gave the reasons for independence, the Articles were the first plan of government, and the Constitution fixed the problems the Articles could not solve. The Bill of Rights helped reassure people that the new, stronger government would not become too powerful.

Teacher Talking Points

• The Founders did not start with the Constitution. Their first try was the Articles of Confederation, which kept the states very independent.
• This makes sense because they had just broken away from Britain. They were nervous about giving too much power to one central government again.
• The problem was that the Articles went too far the other way. The national government was so weak that it had trouble paying debts, handling trade problems, and keeping order.
• The Constitution was the second try. It gave the national government more power but also limited it through checks and balances, federalism, and, later, the Bill of Rights.
• Interesting fact: The Articles had no president and no separate national court system. Congress was basically the main national government.
• Interesting fact: Each state had one vote in Congress, no matter how large or small the state was.
• Question for students: Why did Americans want a weak national government in 1777, but a stronger one by 1787?

Comparison Chart: Articles of Confederation vs. Constitution