The 1780s was a time of new beginnings. The colonists had won their fight for independence from Britain and created a new country with a new government. This new government was defined by a document known as the Articles of Confederation. Ratified on March 1, 1781, this document was the foundation onto which the country developed. It also reflected the ideas and philosophies of the American Revolution and highlighted the practical difficulties of democratic government. Although, The Articles were efficient in managing land and giving Congress control over the guidance of the country, they were far from adequate in the matters of taxation, acquiring revenue from trade, compensating the army, enforcing the country’s treaties, and the ability to have amendments added to it.
Under the Articles of Confederation the Congress had no power to tax the states, instead it depended on donations by the states. The states desired moderate self-sufficiency and were repulsed by the idea of federal taxation (Doc A). Another obstacle in effective governing was that The Articles did not grant Congress the power to enforce its laws, instead depending on voluntary compliance by the states. In place of executive and judicial branches, The Articles created an inefficient committee system branching out of Congress. Most importantly, any amendment to the Articles of Confederation required the ratification by all the states, a measure that virtually eliminated any chance of change. In 1781 and again in 1786 attempts were made to furnish Congress with the ability to tax but each time one dissenting state terminated the process.
After the American Revolutionary War, the population in the United States rose as the market value of exports to Great Britain decreased (Doc B). The Articles did not help the United States in acquiring more revenue from trade. With no strong central government the states were not able to continuously bring in revenue. Since congress could not tax, they...