The Articles of Confederation

What It Did

What It Didn't Do

Could Do
  • Congress had power over foreign affairs and questions of war and peace
  • could decide disputes between states
  • authority over coinage, postal service, and Indian affairs
  • responsibility for the gov. of western territories
  • States could coin money
  • handled indian Affairs
  • important issues need a unanimous vote
  • states are soverign
  • could have army and navy
  • make sure states don't break alliance
  • established criterias for new states

 

Couldn't Do
  • No courts
  • No power to enforce resolutions and ordinances upon either states or individuals
  • no power to levy taxes
  • no executive or juditial branch
  • no administrative head of gov.
  • no sense of leadership
  • states ignored Congress
  • Govs in debt
  • can't regulate state trade/Commerce
  • can't print money
  • can't prosecute a person, state, or anything
  • No tariffs on foreign goods
  • No check or balances
Drawbacks
  • commerce and trade were almost impossible
  • The federal government couldn't tax or prosecute
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