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==The Articles of Confederation==

==The Articles of Confederation==

Before the war ended won, the [[Continental Congress]] met to organize war efforts and address issues common to all the colonies.  It adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 and proposed the Articles of Confederation in 1777.  The Declaration of Independence, which is honored by the holiday of July 4th each year, first coined the name the "United States of America": the "unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America."  On November 15, 1777, the name was given to the new country when the Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation.  The first Article states: "The Stile of this Confederacy shall be 'The United States of America.'"

Before the war ended, the [[Continental Congress]] met to organize war efforts and address issues common to all the colonies.  The Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 and proposed the Articles of Confederation in 1777.  The Declaration of Independence, which is honored by the holiday of July 4th each year, first coined the name the "United States of America": the "unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America."  On November 15, 1777, the name was given to the new country when the Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation.  The first Article states: "The Stile of this Confederacy shall be 'The United States of America.'"

So the [[Articles of Confederation]] established the [[United States of America]].  The Articles were ratified by all 13 colonies in 1781, and converted them from "colonies" into "states".  But due to flaws in the Articles of Confederation, they lasted a short time, and were replaced by the Constitution in 1789 after only eight years.

So the [[Articles of Confederation]] established the [[United States of America]].  The Articles were ratified by all 13 colonies in 1781, and converted them from "colonies" into "states".  But due to flaws in the Articles of Confederation, they lasted a short time, and were replaced by the Constitution in 1789 after only eight years.

Nine (9) out of the 13 states' approval were needed to pass anything.  And unanimous approval was required to amend the Articles.  Those percentages were simply too high for a collection of states that were very different from each other.  Now that the focus was off gaining freedom and onto building a new nation, the states had much less common ground.   

Nine (9) out of the 13 states' approval were needed to pass anything.  And unanimous approval was required to amend the Articles.  Those percentages were simply too high for a collection of states that were very different from each other.  Now that the focus was off gaining freedom and onto building a new nation, the states had much less common ground.   

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was given the power to declare war, raise and army and navy, make commercial treaties, borrow money, control currency, and levy assessments against the states.  But Congress lacked the power to impose taxes on the people or enforce its will against states that refused to cooperate.  It could ask the states for money, but could not force them to pay.  The power to raise an army is almost meaningless without the means to raise money to pay the army.  Thus, Congress under the Articles of Confederation was destined to be very weak from the beginning, and demands for a stronger form of national government began to grow.

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was given the power to declare war, raise and army and navy, make commercial treaties, borrow money, control currency, and levy assessments against the states.  But Congress lacked the power to impose taxes on the people or enforce its will against states that refused to cooperate.  It could ask the states for money, but could not force them to pay.  The power to raise an army is almost meaningless without the means to raise money to pay the army.  Thus, Congress under the Articles of Confederation was destined to be very weak from the beginning, and demands for a stronger form of national government began to grow. This was due in part to the fear the Founding Fathers had of a strong government, stemming from the power Britan had before the revolution.

==Problems with the Articles of Confederation==

==Problems with the Articles of Confederation==