Critical Period Dbq

The Articles of Confederation were very ineffective because it didn’t give the Federal government enough power, they couldn’t enact tariffs and each state did what was in the best interest of its own state not what was best for the country as a whole. The Articles of Confederation was more of a league of friendship than an actual government. The mere fact that it took four years to ratify should have warned the country of its shortcomings. It was very difficult to amend the Articles because a unanimous vote from each state. Under the Articles of Confederation, there wasn’t even a national currency.

The Articles of Confederation had many flaws but it was able to keep the new nation alive and together and it protected the rights of the minority, which was its main goal. Every opinion was valued and counted. Like when Rhode Island disagreed with a decision that all the other states agreed with, Rhode Island, being the minority, was able to stop the bill from being passed. (Doc. A) The bill was to put a tariff on all imports; this would help American merchants by making other countries goods more expensive than the American goods. The bill wouldn’t help the average American though because it would make the price of these goods more expensive. The Articles may have protected the rights of the minority, but it also had many flaws within it.

Because of the inability of the Federal government to enact tariffs and force the states to do what was right for the country the Articles of Confederation was very ineffective. Before the Revolutionary War, American exports, to England, was at an all time high of 6,555 thousand dollars, but after the war, they exports drop to 4,429 thousand dollars. During this time the population grew from 2,463 thousand to 3,236 thousand. (Doc. B) This was a very bad combination because it meant that the country was bringing in less money, but was growing, which meant more people to educate, employ and feed. The Articles also gave the...