Healthy Economic State In America example essay topic

379 words
The Articles of Confederation was a compact made by the original thirteen states of the United States of America. The Articles of Confederation were adopted in 1781, and set standards that each state should follow in order to maintain democracy and their "league of friendship". In effort to keep their newly won independence, they failed to create a strong enough central government. Although Congress gained some important powers, and The Articles began to loosely unify the United States of America, the Articles of Confederation did not provide an effective enough form of government. The federal government had no power to tax -- that power was left to the individual states themselves. Each state created their own currency, and this caused inflation.

The United States sunk into a depression due to this inflation, and the restrictions on trade to Great Britain and down the Mississippi River. No judicial system was provided to enforce laws and therefore allowed for civil disturbances such as Shay's Rebellion. In order to pass legislation, a unanimous consent was required. Consequently, there was a chance that sound economic bills would not be passed. The Articles were not successful in providing a healthy economic state in America. After the American Revolutionary War, foreign relations with Britain and Spain were edgy, and the disunity between the states only worsened these relations.

This lack of national unity allowed Britain and Spain to continue to weaken America by increasing conflict with the Native Americans. Unless a stronger form of centralized government was formed, the United States would not be taken seriously. The British thought that the new nation could not survive and had its military stationed in Canada and in the West. Although the Articles of Confederation had its achievements, such as: the Treaty of Paris, the Northwest Ordinances, federal aid to education, and a foundation of unity, it succeeded in providing an effective form of government to a small degree. It lacked the fundamental strength a government of a nation of power needed. Improvements in economic conditions and foreign relations took shape when the states decided to surrender some of their power and the United States Constitution replaced The Articles in 1789.