1. ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION US Constitution Unit

2. OBJECTIVE  Examine the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

3. WHY DID THE ARTICLES OF CONFED. FAIL?  #1 Currency Issues  The U.S. did not have a common currency  People carried money from the federal government, state governments, and foreign governments  Merchants stopped accepting money from outside of their own state, causing money to become worthless  This caused INFLATION

4. WHY DID THE ARTICLES OF CONFED. FAIL?  #2 Debt  Congress did not have the power to tax people and depended on money from the states  U.S. was unable to pay its debts  Ex: U.S. owed money to France, Holland, and Spain for loans made during the Revolution  Ex: U.S. had not paid many of its veterans

5. WHY DID THE ARTICLES OF CONFED. FAIL?  #3 International & Domestic Problems  U.S. lacked military power to defend itself against Great Britain and Spain  States acted as individual countries and seldom agreed with one another  Connecticut and Virginia almost go to war over land disputes

6. WHY DID THE ARTICLES OF CONFED. FAIL?  #4 The Courts  The federal government lacked a judicial system

7. WHY DID THE ARTICLES OF CONFED. FAIL?  #5 The President  The nation did not have a chief executive

8. WHY DID THE ARTICLES OF CONFED. FAIL?  #6 The Legislature  Congress had one house (unicameral)  Laws were difficult to pass, needing the approval of 9 states  Congress was responsible to the states, not to the people  Congress had no power to collect taxes, regulate trade, coin money, or establish a military.