Articles Of Confederation Dbq
When coming to the New World, colonists expected a better life than they had in New England, with opportunities of change. However, New England’s government had been oppressing those in America in multiple aspects, regardless of the large Atlantic separating the two. Because of Britain’s tyrannical way of addressing their power among the colonies, and the instilled fear by the British, a revolutionary era broke out. Enlightenment ideals and experiences throughout the revolutionary war, eventually molded the weak theories and principals exemplified in the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation provided limited economic power to the Federal Government. Still fearing an overpowering far away government that enforced mercantilist
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Real power rested in the states. Fearing an overbearing executive and judicial branch due to their experiences with British policy, the drafters of the Articles created a central government that lacked an executive department to carry out and enforce the acts of Congress and no national court system to interpret the meaning of laws. Each state created its own foreign policy, and its own money that might not even be accepted in other states. Due to the war, there was a huge debt and because of the Articles restrictions, congress was not allowed to collect taxes. John Locke, a natural rights philosopher, believed that all human beings were born with ‘natural rights’ that cannot be taken away or toyed with. His ideas influenced the resentment, by the colonists, against the King of Britain who was misusing his power to the colonies disadvantage. Due to the damage done by the Boston Tea Party, parliament issued the Intolerable Acts, which punished colonists for their rebellion. It shut down all legislature and closed the Boston Harbor, ultimately killing their economy. Britain also started to occupy Boston, Massachusetts, purposely to show the colonies who is in charge. Committees of Correspondence was created due to the oppression and was used as a way for the colonies to communicate their grievances, and let everyone know what was happening in each colony. Disgruntlement allowed for increased boycotts on British goods, however things would only worsen. Due to these ideals and events, the colonists quickly settled on the idea of having a weak political structure and influenced the regulations of Congress within the Articles of
Real power rested in the states. Fearing an overbearing executive and judicial branch due to their experiences with British policy, the drafters of the Articles created a central government that lacked an executive department to carry out and enforce the acts of Congress and no national court system to interpret the meaning of laws. Each state created its own foreign policy, and its own money that might not even be accepted in other states. Due to the war, there was a huge debt and because of the Articles restrictions, congress was not allowed to collect taxes. John Locke, a natural rights philosopher, believed that all human beings were born with ‘natural rights’ that cannot be taken away or toyed with. His ideas influenced the resentment, by the colonists, against the King of Britain who was misusing his power to the colonies disadvantage. Due to the damage done by the Boston Tea Party, parliament issued the Intolerable Acts, which punished colonists for their rebellion. It shut down all legislature and closed the Boston Harbor, ultimately killing their economy. Britain also started to occupy Boston, Massachusetts, purposely to show the colonies who is in charge. Committees of Correspondence was created due to the oppression and was used as a way for the colonies to communicate their grievances, and let everyone know what was happening in each colony. Disgruntlement allowed for increased boycotts on British goods, however things would only worsen. Due to these ideals and events, the colonists quickly settled on the idea of having a weak political structure and influenced the regulations of Congress within the Articles of