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| | ==Problems with the Articles of Confederation== | | ==Problems with the Articles of Confederation== |
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| − | Most power remained in each state under the Articles of Confederation. The national government could not raise money to pay its own obligations. It had no power or money in foreign relations. And its attempts to alter these problems lead to economic hardships.
| + | "Foreign policy" is the term for how a country (the United States) deals with other countries in the world. At least 10% of the questions on any College Board history exam are about "foreign policy." |
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| | + | Perhaps the biggest weakness to the Articles of Confederation concerned foreign policy. In the 1780s, before and after the Revolution, the United States was a mere baby in the world countries. We were far weaker in ever respect than the powers in Europe. Comparing the [[United States]] to [[England]] at that time would be like comparing a child to an adult. Just obtaining respect was a struggle. |
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| | + | The Articles deprived our young government from having any power or money in foreign relations. |
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| | Americans were very wary of centralized power after their bad experience with England, but they took this so far that the central government was essentially worthless, and each state did as it pleased. Newly free, the states were unstable and divided. The Confederation reflected this. The states were eager to control their own affairs, and they resisted giving up power to a central government. The Articles of Confederation reflected this independence. After all, just one state could stop an amendment to the articles. | | Americans were very wary of centralized power after their bad experience with England, but they took this so far that the central government was essentially worthless, and each state did as it pleased. Newly free, the states were unstable and divided. The Confederation reflected this. The states were eager to control their own affairs, and they resisted giving up power to a central government. The Articles of Confederation reflected this independence. After all, just one state could stop an amendment to the articles. |
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| | Across the sea in the Mediterranean, American trade was interrupted by piracy off of the Barbary Coast (modern day Tunisia). Previously, America had been protected from the pirates by England, but now was obliged to pay its own way. But the government had no money to bribe or fight the pirates. | | Across the sea in the Mediterranean, American trade was interrupted by piracy off of the Barbary Coast (modern day Tunisia). Previously, America had been protected from the pirates by England, but now was obliged to pay its own way. But the government had no money to bribe or fight the pirates. |
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| − | The weakness of the government under the Articles of Confederation was overwhelmingly displayed in America's languishing foreign policy.
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| | From the beginning, the Confederation had financial troubles, and its attempts to correct its deficiencies only made its problems worse. It attempts to gain money were uniformly unsound. Congress borrowed money from foreign countries, printed paper currency, and sold undeveloped western lands. None of these tactics were effective. | | From the beginning, the Confederation had financial troubles, and its attempts to correct its deficiencies only made its problems worse. It attempts to gain money were uniformly unsound. Congress borrowed money from foreign countries, printed paper currency, and sold undeveloped western lands. None of these tactics were effective. |