History of Europe

Why did the government created under Articles of Confederation last only a few years?

The government created under the Articles of Confederation was inefficient, ineffective, and powerless to address the nation's problems. The Articles of Confederation was a weak central government that was unable to enforce laws, regulate commerce, or raise taxes. This led to a lack of coordination between the states, and made it difficult to resolve disputes between them. The government also lacked the authority to regulate foreign trade, leading to trade deficits and economic instability. Additionally, the Articles of Confederation did not provide the federal government with the power to veto state laws, leading to conflicting state policies and a lack of uniformity. Finally, the Articles of Confederation did not establish a strong executive branch, leading to a lack of leadership and decision-making. All these factors contributed to the government's failure and the eventual establishment of the new Constitution.

Here are some specific examples of the Articles of Confederation's weaknesses:

* The federal government could not regulate commerce between the states. This led to a chaotic patchwork of trade regulations, with each state setting its own tariffs and trade policies. This made it difficult for merchants to conduct business across state lines, and it led to a decline in trade.

* The federal government could not tax citizens directly. This meant that it had to rely on the states to provide funding, but the states were often unwilling to do so. This led to a chronic shortage of money for the federal government, which made it difficult to pay off debts and finance essential services.

* The federal government did not have a strong executive branch. There was no president, and the head of government was a figurehead with little real power. This made it difficult to make decisions and implement policies, and it led to a lack of leadership and direction.

The Articles of Confederation was a noble experiment, but it ultimately proved to be unworkable. The government was too weak and ineffective to address the nation's problems, and it eventually led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787.