The Articles of Confederation were written in 1781 as an attempt to provide the United States with an effective government. The Articles of Confederation showed its flaws when an effective government failed to emerge. The future of the newly formed United States was at risk when the Articles caused division among the nation, failed to provide for the growth and upholding of the nation, and stunted the progress and success of the nation. The ineffective government under the Articles of Confederation was ended in 1789 when the Constitution was adopted.
The Articles of confederation gave too much power to the individual states. This created strong central governments, but a weak national government. The central governments did not have a single focus to unite them and bring them together as a nation. The lack of unity as a nation did not help them reach their goal of being a respected nation. Without the respect and unity they were not able to move forward and achieve success together as a nation, as opposed to the individual states. Each individual state had different goals and looked out for the wellbeing of the state, not the wellbeing of the nation as a whole.
The conflict of interests from each state failed to allow the nation to provide itself with the things it needed to progress. Under the Articles the nation wasn’t allowed to tax the states. The states, such as Rhode Island, did not want the government to control taxes or commerce. They feared that they would not be properly represented by unknown officers and the government would become too powerful with the money it collected from taxes. [A] The states wanted to independently control their commerce, so their success was solely theirs and did not have to be shared or distributed amongst the other states. The lack of money also failed to allow for the nation to pay for and uphold a standing army. Joseph Jones wrote to George Washington explaining the discontent of the soldiers. They had requested pay,...