Weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation

Page 1 The Articles of Confederation, active from March 1, 1781, to June 21, 1788 was the first constitution established in the New World. The articles were drafted by the British colonists in order to help unify the 13 colonies under a common government. This document expressed the form of government the early Americans used until June 21, 1788 when the present constitution was drafted. The articles came out of a need for the colonies to unite after being freed from British rule, …

…a new government but wanting to get away from the kind of government that favored a strong centralization of power, created such as weak central government that it created more problems than it solved. However, as much as the Articles of Confederation were a failure, so also were they a success in providing a solid base from which all other constitutions have sprung forth, including the current constitution that has governed us for over 210 years.