Strengths+Weaknesses+and+Outcomes+of+the+Articles+of+Confederation+(T-P-S)



Strengths

Unified 13 Colonies as United States of America

Establishes Central Power

Defined what Congress can do and what States can do in relation to each other

Started democracy with a proper outline of how delegations would be comprised

Made corruption hard to happen (tried to prevent it)

Provided a single legislative body

Ensured the sovereignty of each state

Congress could not do anything without consent of the states (strength & weakness)

Command of central army

Could sign trade treaties with foreign powers

Weaknesses

Unanimous votes needed to make amendments

No power to tax = no pay for army, no executive, no judicial and no universal currency

Court process was bureaucratic

Separation of powers --> Legislatures had too much control

Powerless central govt. caused fragmentation of 13 colonies

No power to veto state legislatures

Did not really specify complete process of how laws are passed and enforced

New states are not mentioned--how do they deal with expansion?

No power to regulate foreign commerce/trade between colonies and foreign countries

Depression in the 1780s --> Congress had no way to really control it

Executive power weak overall

Difficulty negotiating Western territory

Outcomes

Hostility towards it

State debts rose and currency became hyperinflated

Tension between large and small states; north and south

People lost respect for it over times it

Set up a template of central administration

Northwest Ordinance

Foreign relations issues