Economic And Political Problems During The Articles Of Confederation

There were many problems facing the nation during the Articles of Confederation; economic and political problems. These problems included disputes over western lands, currency, inflation, debt, foreign relations, and a weak central government. The disputes over western lands begun when Britain gave up their land claims to the lands east of the Mississippi River and north of the Ohio River. By the 1700s, almost 120,000 people lived west of the Appalachian Mountains, hoping that one day they could join the Union as a state. However, the Articles of Confederation had no provision for adding new states. Many states claimed this land as their own, barring Congress’s chance to claim these lands. Congress knew they had to extend their authority over

How will it work? Is the population a concrete number? How will the governments be organized?). 1 year later, the Land Ordinance of 1785 was passed. This clarified how land would be settled and sold. It divided the Northwest Territory into townships 6x6 miles each. Each township divided into 36 sections of 640 acres each. Each section was auctioned off for at least $1 (Over $200 USD present-day). Congress used this to pay off the Revolutionary War’s debt. Land speculators used this opportunity to gain large amounts of land, and land speculators were considered sinful. Richard Henry Lee, president of Congress at the time, was worried about lawless people moving west (districts could make their own laws; it could choose to be lawless). 2 years later, the Northwest Ordinance was passed. It created a single new territory, and divided them into 5 smaller territories. When the population reached 60,000, they could apply for statehood. Each new state would have the same rights as the original 13 states. It established a territorial government for the territories. It also gave the settlers in the territories a bill of rights, which included freedom of religion, trial by jury, property, and no

This means that without the central government being weak, the Articles of Confederation could have succeeded. First of all, the disputes over western lands only happened because the states could claim the land since they were more powerful than Congress. If Congress wasn’t weak, then it could force the states to give up their claims immediately. Secondly, the currency problems wouldn’t have happened if the central government wasn’t weak. If Congress was strong, then states were weak, which means they wouldn’t be sovereign, and wouldn’t print their own money. Also, Congress would have the power to tax, and get enough resources to back the currency up. Inflation wouldn’t have happened if Congress had the power to tax, since the money would have had value, and people would buy and sell more. Debt wouldn’t have had happened if Congress could tax because they could raise enough money to pay off their debts. Britain wouldn’t have broken its promise and would let Americans in the profitable markets if the central government wasn’t weak. They would have the power to override the states, and force them to pay the Loyalists, which in turn, would gain Britain’s favor. Spain wouldn’t have closed the Mississippi River if the central government wasn’t weak because they would be afraid. Spain closed it because America had no army (soldiers