The Articles of Confederation is a long and detailed document, available for free access on the internet, which expressly includes many powers and rights that were left unstated by the subsequent Constitution. The Articles expressly authorized the people to recall their representatives, for example.
The Articles provided for a unicameral (one body) Congress to govern the states. The Articles authorized There was no president (imagine that!), but rather a committee formed of one representative from each state who wielded executive authority. There were no federal (national) courts (imagine that also!). The Articles authorized Congress to conduct foreign policy, but did not authorize Congress to regulate commerce.
'''Debate: Does the United States really need an office of president?'''
===Foreign Policy Was Authorized, but Unsuccessful, under the Articles of Confederation===
"Foreign policy" is the term for how a country (in this case, the young United States) deals with other countries. The Articles of Confederation gave the government the authority to conduct foreign policy, but made it different difficult for those efforts to be successful without a president.
In the 1780s, before and after the Revolution, the United States was a mere baby in the world. We were far weaker in every respect than European countries. Comparing the [[United States]] to [[England]] at that time would be like comparing a child to an adult. Just obtaining respect was a struggle, and the Articles made it worse.