AP US History DBQ Articles of Confederation...
An effective government is one that will responsibly carry out and defend the wishes and rights of the people, while keeping the country stable and strong. Between the years of 1781 and 1789 the Articles of Confederation failed to provide the United States with an effective government. The country was no in a stable state, economically, politically, or defensively. Under The Articles of Confederation the government could not levy taxes which added to a huge economic problem. The Articles also tried to limit the power of the central government and instead gave it to the states which turned out to be a completely unrealistic approach to creating a stable nation. However possibly the biggest weakness under The Articles of Confederation was the lack of defense. The American economy decreased significantly when the Articles of Confederation were ratified in 1781. (Doc B) This was because the Articles of Confederation did not grant the central government the power to regulate trade or tax. Instead taxation was left to the individual states. The states, having been granted power under The Articles of Confederation decided they would not pay. The citizens of the few states that did institute a tax to he
lp pay the enormous debt of the war felt out of touch with their tax. Most did not know the current situation of the government nor did they care to and they did not know why they were being taxed. Instead they felt they were being taxed unfairly. This led to uprisings such as Shay's Rebellion which threatened the government severely. The government also lacked the power to regulate trade. To one proposed tariff, the Rhode Island Assembly to Congress responded (Doc. A), "[B]y granting to Congress a power to collect moneys from the commerce of these states...is repugnant to the liberty of the United States." Rhode Island felt that this tax was not in the interest of the people and it also thought it was an infringement on their right of liberty. With controversy like this, tariffs and taxes would never get approved or voted and the enormous war debt would remain. As an effect of this remaining war debt, most of Europe looked down on America and its ally France (to whom America still owed a significant amount of money) was starting to loose its trust. England was hoping that America would continue to go into debt and they would weaken and fall apart with an invasion, something America was not prepared for. America still owed its own soldiers money and promised land from the war. Because of this America was in no shape to raise and army. Several attacking forces threatened the United States at the time at the tim
Some common words found in the essay are:
Articles Confederation, John Jay, France America, Rhode Island, Native Americans, House Representatives, Confederation Rawlins, Assembly Congress, Shay's Rebellion, Constitution Articles, articles confederation, john jay, lack confidence, effective government, lack confidence government, america owed, war america, rhode island, country stable, native americans, power regulate, power regulate trade,
Approximate Word count = 958
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
