The Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States was known as the Articles of Confederation. The Articles were written in 1977, after independence from Great Britain had been declared and while the American Revolution was in progress. As a constitution, the Articles had a short life. The document was not fully ratified by the states until 1781, and it remained in effect only until 1787. Under the Articles, Congress was the sole organ of government. Also under the Articles …

…unable to vote. The quarrel grew until thousands of men in the Western Massachusetts rose in armed revolt. As a result of the rebellion, Daniel Gray addressed the people of several towns in the county of Hampshire, and justifying Shay's Rebellion; also George Washington sent two letters to James Madison and Henry Knox about concerns pertaining to the Articles of Confederation, and he offers to support a new government to replace the Articles of Confederation.