Results of the Articles of Confederation

Results of the Articles of Confederation

Following the American Revolution, the responsibility of the thirteen states was to create a form of written regulations expressing the control of the government. On November 15th, 1777 the Second Continental Congress was held in York, Pennsylvania to ratify a new set of laws for the states. It created a national government consisting of a unicameral legislature, with one representative from each of the thirteen colonies, and no executive. Although the Articles of Confederation led to the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, it resulted in catastrophes such as Shay’s Rebellion and other negative events.
The Articles declared that each state remain sovereign and the powers given to the national government were limited. They had no power to tax or raise money, besides through the states, and no power to enforce its decisions upon the states. Also, they could not effectively support a war effort and had little power to prevent or stop disputes between the states. These rules caused major problems especially with foreign relations and trade because of Britain’s trading route with the states and the West Indies. In 1786, representatives from five states met in Maryland to try to establish a new trading policy. Unfortunately, the meeting was dismissed because of the lack of interest from all the other delegates who didn’t make an appearance at the meeting.
Despite all the laws the confederation made, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 prohibited slavery in the territory, including the southern states. It gave the Bill of Rights a jury trial, freedom of religion, and the right of new states to join the Union on equal
footing with older states, which gave citizens in territories the same rights as citizens of other states. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was known as the biggest success under the Articles of Confederation.
Unfortunately, in response to all of the actions of the articles, Daniel Shay, a war veteran and farmer, attacked the Springfield arsenal along with...

Similar Essays