1. The Articles of Confederation
Weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation

2. Confederation: a group of people, countries, organizations, etc
Confederation: a group of people, countries, organizations, etc., that are joined together in some activity or effort

3. Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
1) One vote for each state, regardless of size
2) Congress powerless to lay and collect taxes
Could borrow money from states – most unwilling to lend
3) Congress powerless to regulate foreign and interstate commerce
4) No executive to enforce the acts of Congress
Could not force the states to obey the Articles or the laws Congress made

4. Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation continued…
5) No national court system
6) Amendment with only consent of all states
Proved impossible to make changes; not one amendment was ever made
7) A 9/13 majority required to pass laws
A super majority; almost impossible to achieve!
8) Articles only a “firm league of friendship”

5. Shays’ Rebellion
A postwar depression left many farmers unable to pay their debts and were threatened with mortgage foreclosure
One such farmer was Daniel Shays, a former Captain in the Revolutionary War
When threatened with foreclosure, Shays’ led a series of armed attacks on courthouses with the purpose of prevent judges from foreclosing on farms
Neither Congress nor the state of Massachusetts was able to stop Shays’ and his followers
Led to concerns about the weaknesses of the Central government