The Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation, drafted in 1776, during the 2nd Continental Congress, was ratified on March 1, 1781. They remained the unifying document of the states until June 21, 1788. The product of some of the greatest minds to ever exist, The Articles did have some positive effects on society. They successfully put an end to the Revolutionary War, negotiated a favorable end to the war in the Treaty of Paris, and created a model for the admission of new …

…On voting matters, certain resolutions dealing with war, treaties or the regulation of coinage (and other affairs) required the approval of nine states to be enacted. Most importantly, any amendment to the Articles of Confederation required the ratification by all the states, a measure that virtually eliminated any chance of change. In 1781 and again in 1786 attempts were made to furnish Congress with the ability to tax but each time one dissenting state terminated the process.