What were the pros and cons of the Articles of Confederation?
Asked by: Shany Bartell I | Last update: January 28, 2026Score: 4.7/5 (27 votes)
The Articles of Confederation's pros included preserving state sovereignty, establishing a unified government for foreign affairs (like treaties), and successfully managing western lands (Northwest Ordinance), while its major cons were a weak central government unable to tax or enforce laws, regulate commerce, or raise an army, leading to economic chaos (Shays' Rebellion) and instability, ultimately necessitating the U.S. Constitution.
What are the pros of Confederation?
Many people in Ontario believed that Confederation would solve three problems: it would enable the British North American colonies to jointly defend themselves, facilitate trade between the colonies, and end political deadlock by restoring separate provincial governments to Ontario and Quebec.
What were the negatives of the Articles of Confederation?
With the passage of time, weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation became apparent; Congress commanded little respect and no support from state governments anxious to maintain their power. Congress could not raise funds, regulate trade, or conduct foreign policy without the voluntary agreement of the states.
What is good about the Articles of Confederation?
Despite its shortcomings, the Articles enabled the young country to wage war and negotiate peace with Britain. By establishing a constitutional union an objective of the Revolutionary War, it served as a precedent for a new republic.
What were the advantages of the Constitution over the Articles of Confederation?
Ultimately, the largest difference between America's two governing documents is in that the Articles sovereignty resided in the states, and the Constitution was declared the law of the land when it was ratified which significantly increased the power of the federal government.
The Articles of Confederation
What are two pros of the Articles of Confederation?
The Articles of Confederation did have several strengths, even though they were imperfect.
- They provided a clear outline of powers in the central government. ...
- It was the first written constitution of a republic, and, as such, it kept the states together and kept the ideal of a union of states joined together alive.
What were the four major problems of the Articles of Confederation?
The four major problems of the Articles of Confederation were the weak central government unable to enforce laws, the lack of power to tax or regulate trade, the absence of an executive or judicial branch, and the near-impossible requirement for unanimous consent to amend the Articles, which prevented necessary reforms. These weaknesses left the nation unable to pay debts, defend itself, or maintain economic stability, leading to Shays' Rebellion and the push for the Constitution.
What are the 5 main strengths of the Articles of Confederation?
- Strength Fact 1 1st Constitution! It's about time! ...
- Strength Fact 2 War, Peace, and Treaties. ...
- Strength Fact 3 Indian Affairs. ...
- Strength Fact 4 Continental Army. ...
- Strength Fact 5 Cooperation between The States. ...
- Strength Fact 6 New States can be. ...
- Strength Fact 7 Post Office. ...
- Weakness Fact 1.
Why were the Articles of Confederation flawed?
But the Articles of Confederation were weak and defective: The primary problem was a powerless federal authority, a government that was more like a union of independent nations than a single, unified country. Instead of a strong, peaceful country, the states fought one another with limited respect for the rule of law.
What are the 5 important facts about the Articles of Confederation?
The Articles of Confederation created a national government composed of a Congress, which had the power to declare war, appoint military officers, sign treaties, make alliances, appoint foreign ambassadors, and manage relations with Indians.
What are 5 reasons the Articles of Confederation failed?
10 reasons why America's first constitution failed
- The states didn't act immediately. ...
- The central government was designed to be very, very weak. ...
- The Articles Congress only had one chamber and each state had one vote. ...
- Congress needed 9 of 13 states to pass any laws. ...
- The document was practically impossible to amend.
What were the three weaknesses the Articles of Confederation had?
Weak Central Government: The central government under the Articles of Confederation was extremely weak and lacked the ability govern the nation. It lacked the power to enforce laws, collect taxes, or regulate trade.
What were the disadvantages of the Confederation government?
- Government of states. Problems of free-riding and coordination.
- No independent source of revenue. ...
- No power over interstate and foreign commerce. ...
- No uniform currency. ...
- No executive or judiciary. ...
- Difficult to pass laws and amend the Articles. ...
- No guarantee of domestic order.
What were the strengths and weaknesses of the Confederation?
STRENGTH: Congress (not the states themselves) were in charge of determining when war was necessary. the states. WEAKNESS: Since the government could not tax, the country was constantly short on money. It was nearly impossible for it to reply its war debts.
What are the advantages of a Confederation?
Confederations allow a central, federal government to create laws and regulations of broad national interest, but the sovereign units are granted the ultimate authority to carry out those laws and to create, implement, and enforce their own laws as well.
What are 6 reasons for Confederation?
The document outlines six reasons for Canadian Confederation in 1867: 1) political deadlock between parties in Canada West and Canada East, 2) the need for a railway linking the colonies, 3) the cancellation of the Reciprocity Treaty with the United States, 4) the threat of American expansion, 5) Britain's desire for ...
What are the 5 main weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
The Articles of Confederation had five main weaknesses: a weak central government, no executive branch, no national court system, lack of power to regulate trade, and difficulty in amending the Articles. These limitations made it challenging for the federal government to effectively govern the new nation.
What is the biggest flaw of the Articles of Confederation?
The Articles established a weak central government and placed most powers in the hands of the states. Under the Articles, the US economy faltered, since the central government lacked the power to enforce tax laws or regulate commerce.
What was the main failure of the Articles of Confederation?
Problems with the Articles of Confederation
The Articles lacked national unity, and the states acted more like independent mini-nations: There was an economic downtown due to the disruptions in trade and farming caused by the war, but the new nation did not have the ability to address these problems.
What were the cons of the Articles of Confederation?
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. The weakness of the Articles of Confederation was that Congress was not strong enough to enforce laws or raise taxes, making it difficult for the new nation to repay its debts from the Revolutionary War.
What are the three powers of the Articles of Confederation?
Articles of Confederation – Congress Wielded All Three Powers: Legislative, Judicial, Executive, Later Separated. LISTEN ON SOUNDCLOUD: On November 15, 1777, the Continental Congress approved what was this newly declared independent nation's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation.
What are the six weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
The Articles of Confederation had significant weaknesses, including Congress's inability to levy taxes and regulate trade, the requirement of a unanimous vote for amendments, no federal court system, no national executive, and the need for nine states to approve new laws.
What replaced the Articles of Confederation?
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land in the United States of America and is the world's longest surviving charter of government. It replaced the Articles of Confederation which served as the United States' first constitution.
What were two weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation made evident by Shay's rebellion?
The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation made evident by Shays' Rebellion are: The federal government could not raise money to pay soldiers because it could not collect taxes. The federal government could not maintain an army to end the rebellion.
Which of the following was a major problem under the Articles of Confederation?
One of the central weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation was its lack of a strong central government, which severely hampered the United States' ability to conduct foreign affairs effectively.