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Articles of Confederation


            In 1776, in Philadelphia, while Tomas Jefferson was busy drafting the Deceleration of Independence, a far more important document was being drafted up. John Dickinson was working diligently on the first constitution that would unify the thirteen colonies into a loose confederation known as the United States of America. He submitted his constitution to the Second Continental Congress on July 2, 1776. Congress changed a few points to reserve states rights. By 1777, the document was adopted by congress and submitted to the states for ratification. It was ratified March 1, 1781 after a western land dispute was settled. The Articles of Confederation, though weak, had many strong points that were a fundamental part in the writing of the Constitution that sought to fix the problems from the Articles.
             Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States was established as a loose confederation of 13 independently sovereign states with a weak central government and a unicameral legislature called the Confederation Congress. Each state was given the right to send two to seven delegates to Congress each year. However, each state was given only one vote in congress. 9 of the 13 states were required to vote yes in order for a law to be passed and a unanimous vote was required in order to amend the Articles. This made it difficult to pass a law, and nearly impossible to amend one. This was one of the biggest weaknesses of the Articles.
             Congress was given the power to wage war, make treaties, send diplomats deal with foreign nations, settle criminal disputes at sea, maintain weights and coins, run the post office, make rules for the army and navy, and take loans. However they could not regulate commerce, collect taxes, or enforce laws. These powers were left to the states. There was no federal army; instead the nation depended on the state militias for defense in the event of war. To keep unity, states were not allowed to negotiate peace, raise an army, wage war, make alliances, or conduct diplomacy with other states.


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