What is the American confederation-full story

What is the American confederation?

What is the American confederation: The period of the American Confederation is 1781 AD. From 1789 AD up The Confederacy was a union of 13 independent American colonies, i.e. the United States, which remained in force until 1789 after independence. The first central government of the United States of America was built based on the Articles of Confederation.

Background to the Formation of Confederation

American people’s grievances against Britain during the British colonial rule were widespread. Given these accusations, Americans gradually became agitated against Britain. The British government also started to follow a tough policy against America. As a result, there was a lot of tension between the two sides.

In this situation, the colonies realized the need to unite among themselves. However, this process was accelerated by Massachusetts, one of the American colonies. The British government passed a law in 1773 to amend the Massachusetts constitution to the effect that the power to appoint high officials in America would be vested in the King of England. In addition, any public meeting without the permission of the Governor of Massachusetts was prohibited.

A few days later, the high-ranking officer of the army. Gage was appointed the new governor of Massachusetts and a large army was sent to the state. The representatives of all the colonies
except Georgia met in a conference in Philadelphia on September 5, 1774, to protest against this action of the British government. The process of forming the American Confederacy began through this conference.

In 1774, a total of 56 delegates from the remaining colonies, excluding Georgia, attended the conference in Philadelphia. However, from the beginning, the delegates present at the
conference were divided into two groups. One group consisted of the systematic agitators—those who favored resisting Britain and its ruling elite in America by force. Notable leaders of this group were Sam Adams of Massachusetts and his nephew.

Virginia representatives Patrick Henry and Richard Henry Lee were two other leading figures in this group. Members of this systematic group previously assumed the role of spokesmen in
anti-British movements and against colonial elite rule. On the other side was the moderate group. Most of the members of this group believed that the opportunity for a compromise with the British government was not yet completely exhausted. Most of the moderates were wealthy.

They were always inclined to support the conservative view of colonial politics. The initial victory of the systematic movement began when the ‘Suffolk Resolves’ (Suffolk Resolves-politicians of Suffolk County in Massachusetts announced against British rule in September 1774) was adopted at the Philadelphia Conference. 

In this proposal, America will refuse to comply with the ‘Coercive Act’ (Coercive Acts – the law adopted by the British Parliament for managing the American colonies) given by the British. The adoption of this resolution by the convention implicitly endorsed the principle of total deterrence. 

However, most members of the Convention did not agree to admit that war was inevitable. The meeting decided that America would sever all commercial relations with Great Britain. Along with this, the safety and inspection committee will keep an eye on the merchants to ensure that they do not violate this order. This agreement is known as the Continental Association.

On the other hand, questions arose about the role of the British Parliament in the British colonies in America. Leaders like Benjamin Franklin advocated a completely autonomous form of government. Meanwhile, in 1775, Prime Minister Lord North announced that if a colony was willing to pay for British defense, Parliament would no longer have the right to levy taxes on that colony.

In May 1775, delegates from the colonies met for the second time at the convention in Philadelphia. Representatives of Georgia also attended the conference. The leaders present at
this conference was known to be more systematic agitators than the leaders present at the first conference.

One is Benjamin Franklin and the other is Thomas Jefferson. Without much opposition, the General Assembly gave its full support to the people of Massachusetts. According to the decision of the meeting, arrangements were made to form the combined forces of the colonies by the national forces of the various colonies. 

On June 15, 1775, George Washington was appointed commander-in-chief of the combined forces as proposed by John Adams. This Mahasabha on the one hand conducts the war and on the other hand, performs the duties of the central government.

With the outbreak of war, the English rule in the colonies ended, albeit not formally. The royal government was abolished, the colonial legislatures took over as provincial assemblies, and the administration was entrusted to the Committee of Safety. 

After the first convention in Philadelphia, the local committees that were established in the various cities and counties took over the administration of local government under the direction of the Committee of Safety.

As per the directives of the Committee of Safety assumed responsibility for local governance. Thus, a completely new and revolutionary government was established in the thirteen American colonies.

After the war broke out between the British authorities and the colonists, it became clear that no more concessions would be granted by the British government. As a result, America’s demand for full independence gradually became stronger.

On January 10, 1776, when a manifesto titled ‘Common Sense’ written by the expatriate Englishman Tom Paine was published, this claim became stronger. Tom Paine in his manifesto referred to British rule in America as illegitimate and oppressive. He said it was unnatural for an island to rule a continent.

If America’s mother country was Britain, Britain could not have tortured the American people so much on the Declaration of Independence of America, because no mother tortures her child. Tom Paine called his manifestos ‘Common Sense’. Tom Paine’s manifesto greatly influenced the American people.

Given all these events, a five-member committee was created on 11 June 1776 to draft the Declaration of independence. The committee included John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Robert L. Livingstone of New York, and Roger Sherman of Connecticut. 

The committee decided that Thomas Jefferson would draft the Declaration of Independence. The bill was introduced in Congress on June 28.  On July 2 the proposal of Henry Lee of Virginia was added. Finally, on July 4, 1776, America’s independence was declared. 

Among those who signed the declaration from thirteen American states were John Bartlett of New Hampshire, Joseph Hewes; Samuel Adams, John Adams, John Hancock of Massachusetts; Stephen Hopkins of Rhode Island, William Ellery; Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Samuel Huntington; William Floyd of New York, Philip Livingstone; New Jersey’s Richard Stockton, John Hart, Abraham Clark; Robert Morris, Benjamin Russ of Pennsylvania; George Reed of Delaware, Thomas McKean; Samuel Chase of Maryland, William Puck; Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson; North Carolinians William Hopper, John Penn; Edward Rutledge of South Carolina, Arthur Middleton; Georgia Lehman Hall, George Walton is one of them.

From this time basically, American states started to become allied states. However, on May 20, 1776, the colonies were ordered to form a new government.

The United States central government was formed according to the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation were drafted by John Dickinson. However, many amendments were made later for the convenience of the states. In 1777, the Constitution was read by the Continental Congress. However, it was not approved in any state before 1781. 

The confederation i.e. the central government department takes responsibility for some of the more important issues including foreign policy, defense, borrowing, currency control, etc. No attempt was made to maintain the independence of the executive and judiciary in this constitution and all powers were vested in the Congress. Each of the thirteen colonies was entitled to exercise one vote in Congress. A minimum of nine votes was required for any important decision.

Articles of Confederation

On March 1, 1781, the Articles of Confederation were approved in Maryland. A summary of the provisions mentioned in the Confederation is as follows:

1. The confederation was named ‘The United States of America’.

2. Clause 2 of the Articles of Confederation deals with freedom, sovereignty, and rights.

3. The States of America were united to form a league, and resolved to unitedly suppress all obstacles to their defense, security of liberty, and progress.

4. The right of the people of every state to move easily from one state to another is recognized. The rights and responsibilities of the state are also recognized as equal for all citizens. If a criminal from one state travels to another state, he is said to be brought to his state and punished.

5. Each state was given one vote in the Congress of Confederation. Congress consists of two to seven representatives from each state – elected by the state legislatures.

6. Powers of states are limited in conducting foreign relations and declaring war.

7. When the army force is formed for the defense of the state, all posts below the colonel will be appointed by the state assembly.

8. The United States Legislature created a fund to manage war and other state expenditures.

9. The central government is empowered to declare war, regulate currency, and settle disputes between states.

10. When Congress is not in session, a committee is entrusted with the administration of the government.

11. The Confederacy requires the approval of at least nine states for new states to join.

12. The Confederacy would manage war-related issues.

13. The Articles of Confederation will come into force once approved by the legislatures of the states.

The clauses of this convention were about the sovereignty of the states. The federal government received those powers and the monarchs and parliaments of the colonies accepted them.

Thus it can be seen that the American states were able to form a confederation out of the British rule and the Articles of Confederation were approved by the states as the first constitution of America.

Reasons for the weakness and failure of the Articles of Confederation

After the formation of the American Confederation, the dream of American leaders to govern it through the Articles of Confederation did not progress very far. It ultimately failed due to particular weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation. The following are the reasons for the weakness and failure of the Articles of Confederation:

1. Weak role of Congress in economic activities:

One of the defects of the Articles of Confederation was that Congress had no power over commerce and taxation. On the other hand, due to the very small amount of revenue collected in the treasury of American states, the administration is in a difficult situation while running the state. As a result, Minister of Revenue Robert Morris resigned in 1783.  Moreover, the Congress had no fixed income.

There was a system for collecting money from the states in the form of subscriptions, but there was no way to force it if someone did not want to pay it. Attempts to pass the Articles’ revenue amendments into law also failed. After the end of the war, there was economic chaos everywhere in the country.

The wartime debt on the one hand and the economic structure of a war-torn nation on the other  were a challenge for America’s leaders. In addition, due to the inability to pay the interest payable on the US debt on time, its amount is gradually inflated. As a result, Congress failed to properly govern the confederation.

2. Limited Powers of Central Government:

A major weakness of the Articles of Confederation was the lack of adequate executive and judicial powers of the central government. All the powers in this regard were vested in the hands of the Congress. The American confederation was a confederacy. Here all powers were vested in the states without leaving any power in the hands of the central government. As a result, states continue to assert their right to autonomy while ignoring the central government. The central government of the confederation failed to solve the various problems of the states as it could not develop a united spirit among the states.

3. Lack of a strong army and strategic foreign policy:

During the period of confederation, the American government was unable to adopt a strong military and efficient foreign policy. At this time, in the absence of a strong army and the special effects of the expansion of European imperialism around the Americas, the Confederate government adopted a foreign policy of compromise, not engaging in any kind of war with the European powers.

As England and Spain did not support America’s westward expansion, the Confederate government abandoned its policy of commercial expansion into the Mississippi region due to various events. 

This caused a backlash between the southern and western states, and many western states were ready to break with the Confederacy, expel Spain from New Orleans, or make a separate treaty with Spain.

A few states even secretly negotiated with Spanish officials and expressed their desire to join the Spanish Empire. In this way, it can be seen that national unity was threatened due to the non-acceptance of sound foreign policy during the Confederation period.

4. Faulty Trade Policy:

America needed a new development in foreign trade. Before the Revolution, the best market for the exports of New England and the Middle States was the West Indies. The British held six bases on American territory and the Americans had no means of trading with the West Indies, ignored by the British. Moreover, they refused to send any ambassador to the United States until 1791. 

In the Treaty of Paris of 1789, the British promised to remove their militia from the western bases; But they maintained authority there, arguing that the US had violated the treaty. Thus Britain, after the Revolution, created obstacles in the way of resuming trade with the Americans. 

Although British merchants brought their goods to America and stockpiled them, Americans could only sell goods to the British that the English could not get elsewhere. On the other hand, France gave special privileges to American trade because it could not provide loans according to the demands of American businessmen, and the United States suffered a great collapse in foreign trade. Such flawed trade policies led to the failure of the American Confederation.

5. Absence of central government’s sole control over the monetary system:

Internally, the Confederate system of government gave the states monetary control, and several states adopted erroneous monetary policies. One of them was Massachusetts. There the debt burden becomes unbearable due to inflation. Given this situation, an armed coup was led by a returning ex-soldier, Captain Daniel Shays. Although the coup ultimately failed, the Confederacy of America was in dire straits. The economic condition of the United States, both domestically and internationally, is one of the reasons for the failure of the Confederation.

6. Expansionist activities of Britain and Spain:

Another problem behind the failure of the Confederation of America was the fear of expanding European imperialism. Canada was under Great Britain and Florida and Louisiana were under Spain.

Both England and Spain were opposed to America’s westward expansion policy.The English maintained control over the Red Indians, in addition to the states of the American Northwest, trying to maintain their control over the lucrative fur trade. Spain similarly began to try to control trade along the Mississippi River while maintaining control over the Red Indians. 

Disagreements arose within the Americas over westward expansion while Britain and Spain were in tension over the American West. Moreover, many of the coastal states were opposed to the westward expansion policy as they believed that it would strengthen democratic ideology and also hinder the recruitment of workers for the East.

As a result, it can be seen that the American confederation government was not able to properly maintain its authority to the expansionist spirit of Britain and Spain, which reveals its weakness.

Thus, it can be seen that the Articles of Confederation failed to maintain the unity of the United States of America. Various internal problems and short-sightedness in international relations forced the leaders of the confederation to rethink the confederation. To maintain the independence and integrity of the United States, the leaders took steps to amend the Articles of Confederation. Later, the present constitution of America was written in the context of their actions.