Articles Of Confederation Dbq Essay

The Articles of Confederation is the first constitution of the United States of America. The constitution was in effect from March 1, 1781 to March 4, 1789, a total of 8 years. The Articles of Confederation gave congress the power to conduct foreign affairs, declare war, regulate the postal service, determine the value of currency, appoint military officers, control Native American affairs, and issue credit. Congress could not regulate trade, raise taxes, enforce duties, draft, and did not have a judicial or executive branches. The Articles of Confederation was not an effective form of government because the government could not repay their debt to the soldiers of the Continental Army or France, Shay’s Rebellion caused havoc in Massachusetts,

In 1786 Shay’s Rebellion broke out. Shay’s Rebellion was a rebellion in Massachusetts made up of veterans who were given land in the form of payment for their service in the Revolutionary War. Their property had been foreclosed by the state because they could not pay their land tax. They intimidated lawyers and judges and burned courthouses until the militia stopped them. According to a letter from Henry Knox to George Washington, “The commotions of Massachusetts have wrought prodigious change in the minds of men in that state respecting the Powers of Government every body says they must be strengthened, and that unless this shall be effected, there is no... Security for liberty or Property.” The rebellion caused the citizens of Massachusetts to realize the central government needs more power. If the central government had more power, they could have payed the soldiers with money and the veterans would have not had the property to foreclose. The central government could have also overridden the state governments court ruling. Both solutions would have stopped the

“Experience has shown that the efforts to obtain a large Army for many years proved utterly fruitless,” according to a letter from Robert Morris to John Hanson. America just won the War against Britain. Without an army, an attack from Britain could cause them to go back under Britain’s control. The citizens would be under the tyrannical rule of Britain and lose their rights yet again; America’s efforts to gain independence from Britain would be rendered useless. The protection of the citizens’ rights should be a top priority to the government of any country. In order to do this an army is necessary. “it [Congress] was not allowed to force states to obey the central government's request for aid,” according to Background Information on The Articles of Confederation. The power to raise an army was given to the states under the Articles of Confederation. The government had no way to ensure an army and therefore no way to ensure protection against an attack from Britain. Without protection against Britain, the government can not ensure protection of the citizens’