The Articles of Confederation established a weak national government that consisted of a one-house legislature. The Congress had the power to declare war, sign treaties, and settle disputes between states, as well as borrow or print money.

How did the constitution fix the weaknesses of the articles of confederation? The Constitution fixed the weaknesses by allowing the central government certain powers/rights. Congress now has the right to levy taxes. Congress has the ability to regulate trade between states and other countries.

It was ratified on “March 1, 1781”, they had to be replaced by the Constitution post the “Constitutional Convention in 1787”. The constitution came to effect by replacing the articles in 1789, as the articles had a number of weaknesses as they gave states too much power, specifically more than the federal government.

The Articles of Confederation created a confederation in the United States. A confederation is a government in which the state government, not national, have dominant power. The leaders of the new nation feared that a strong, centralized government would lead to tyrannical monarchy like the British government.

The problem: The Confederation relied on the voluntary efforts of the states to send tax money to the central government. Lacking funds, the central government couldn’t maintain an effective military or back its own paper currency.

Articles of Confederation served as the first constitution of the United States. This document officially established the government of the union of the thirteen states.

The Articles of Confederation had no president or executive. The federal government had no money and could not tax. The federal government could not draft soldiers to form an army… they had to ask states for soldiers. The federal government had no judicial branch.

The Articles of Confederation was in effect for eight years (1781-1789) and there was one president during each of those years. The Articles of Confederation was replaced by the Constitution so that the U.S. could form a stronger government.

A major weakness of the Articles of Confederation was that Congress could not tax. Congress could only request that taxes be submitted. The very reason the Articles of Confederation were made with a weak federal government was because the framers of it feared a strong central government.

The Articles of Confederation created a national government composed of a Congress, which had the power to declare war, appoint military officers, sign treaties, make alliances, appoint foreign ambassadors, and manage relations with Indians. Under the Articles, the states, not Congress, had the power to tax.

Congress could establish and control the armed forces, declare war, and make peace. Congress could enter into treaties and alliances. Congress could settle disputes among the states under certain circumstances. Congress could regulate coinage (but not paper money) and set standards for weights and measure.

Each state held “its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled.” The Congress, the primary organ of the new national government, only had the power to declare war, appoint military …