Evolution Of Taxation In The Constitution: The Articles Of Confederation

408 Words2 Pages
Evolution of Taxation in the Constitution – The Articles of Confederation The first constitution of the United States was actually The Articles of Confederation, which were ratified on March 1, 1781. The Articles of Confederation were a wartime attempt to bring the states together under federal authority. There are several key elements that were missing from the Articles of Confederation, which led to the need for the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The Articles of Confederation did not give sufficient controls to the central government to control the economy. The central government did not have the power to levy taxes or regulate commerce. (Staff, 2009) Therefore, the government relied exclusively on money from the states for revenue.