The Articles of Confederation
The Continental Congress wrote the Articles of Confederation during
the Revolutionary War. The articles were written to give the colonies
some sense of a unified government. Once the thirteen colonies became
the thirteen states, however, each one began to act alone in its
own best interest. A new governing document was needed in order
for these new states to act together, to become a nation.
of Confederation became effective on March 1, 1781, after all thirteen
states had ratified them. The Articles made the states and legislature
supreme. There was no executive branch. Judicial functions were
government was weak. Efforts to make it stronger failed. A convention
called in May 1787 to re-write the Articles decided to draft an
entirely new Constitution.
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