Social Sciences and History / Unit 7 SSH 0608 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Articles: Weak by Design
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The idea
The Articles of Confederation, adopted in seventeen eighty-one, deliberately limited the national government. It could declare war, coin money and conduct foreign affairs, but not tax, regulate commerce, or raise an army, so it could neither defend itself nor pay its debts.
In practice
A unicameral Congress; sovereign states in alliance.
Where people slip
The Articles were hard to amend; the drafters feared abuse.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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