How Are The Articles Of Confederation Justified

Congress scared of creating a tyrannical government, especially after they had just fought so hard against one, created the Articles of Confederation. While not meant to be permanent more just to satisfy the citizens it still did not last as long as intended. The Articles of Confederation were a major stepping stone on the road to creating a country that will last for centuries. The Articles of Confederation were chosen as Congress felt Parliament had too much power and as a result they severely limited the powers of the national gov’t. There was no overall ruler who could press their powers and become a total monarch like many of the current European rulers. The Congress essentially made themselves powerless, and this along with the thirteen colonies acting as thirteen separate countries, having to pay soldiers, not being able to levy national taxes, and not being able to raise a national military to defend the towns from Indian attacks or British Canadian raiding

Even though they had just fought a war justified by unreasonable taxes the members of the so called governing body that was head of the U.S. at the moment realized that were necessary to run an economy. While they had no way to pay many of the soldiers their promised money for their service in the Revolutionary War, a large group of soldiers didn’t like having it all reposed when they couldn’t pay for their farms because of the war bonds not being paid to them. This is what led to Shays’ Rebellion masterminded by the former Continental Army Captain Daniel Shays. In a failed attempt to capture the Springfield Armory the former soldiers were met by the Massachusetts Militia where they were quickly defeated by a cannon filled with grapeshot and no musket fire was exchanged. This was a very bad situation for Congress as it pressured them to create a new constitution which is the one we know of