The Articles of Confederation was approved in 1781,after the Revolutionary war was over. The central government had decided that they needed a stronger government. The structure of the new government included only one branch, which was congress. Each of the colonies had only two delegates and they represented their own colony but only one of the delegates got to vote. In this government for a law to be passed seven states had to be present and agree on it. The president was elected for one term, which equaled two years. .
Congress was powerful in the fact that they could wage war with other nations. They could compose a treaty and also raise an army and navy. Congress can borrow money from other nations and also coin our own money. Congress ran the postal service for the colonies, and banned passports for travel between state and state. Congress declared that there would be no war between states and that criminal interstate laws would come in effect. Congress declared five departments the Army, Navy, Postal Service, Foreign Policy, and the Finance Department. .
The document seemed strong but it was very weak. The Confederation had neither an executive nor a judicial branch; there was no administrative head of the government and no federal courts. Congress also had little to do with any economic achievements. Due to the extreme weaknesses of this document, the Constitutional Convention of 1787 proposed a new constitution establishing a much stronger national government. Although this controversial new Constitution provoked a great deal of resistance, the necessary number of states, replacing the Articles of Confederation as the framework of the United States government, eventually ratified it.
