Articles_Of_Confederation

Articles Of Confederation The Articles of Confederation, ratified by the thirteen states soon after the Revolutionary War, provided a new form a government for the United States. This Democratic government gave the States the power to make and enforce their laws. However, the Articles also provided the country with a weak and ineffective government. The Congress could not enforce any laws or engage in uniting the states. A monetary system for collecting taxes and regulating commerce was nonexistent, and the country lacked centralization and leadership. In place of a president, individual sovereign states ruled. Like France, the United States government lacked an adequate taxing system. Because of the missing Executive Branch, the Congress had no power to collect taxes, and therefore had no money. Donations from states were all they could rely on, but they were scarcely given. For example, upon receiving a recommendation from Congress to collect taxes, Rhode Island rejected the suggestion. They believed that it stepped on their liberty and was against the Constitution of the United States. (Document A). Also, without an Executive Branch, the government had no way of enforcing laws or taxes, collecting taxes, or protecting commerce. There was no way of gathering revenue to pay the soldiers states, government, united, document, taxes, people, articles, trade, system, country, congress, state, provided, power, money, make, laws, countries, british, war, started, rebellion, out, needed, monetary, executive, enforce, collect, branch, without, weak, way, uniting, thought, suffering, stronger