Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The Articles Of Confederation...A Rocky Start !


You know, getting this grand ol' country started wasn't nearly as easy as many of us think!

Although winning our independence from the British was a good beginning, it certainly wasn't the end of the journey. From the Articles of Confederation right up to our Constitution, it's been a bumpy and educational ride! See for yourself!
Nov 15, 1777:
Articles of Confederation adopted

After 16 months of debate, the Continental Congress, sitting in its temporary capital of York, Pennsylvania, agrees to adopt the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union on this day in 1777. Not until March 1, 1781, would the last of the 13 states, Maryland, ratify the agreement.

In 1777, Patriot leaders, stinging from British oppression, were reluctant to establish any form of government that might infringe on the right of individual states to govern their own affairs. The Articles of Confederation, then, provided for only a loose federation of American states. Congress was a single house, with each state having one vote, and a president elected to chair the assembly. Although Congress did not have the right to levy taxes, it did have authority over foreign affairs and could regulate a national army and declare war and peace. Amendments to the Articles required approval from all 13 states. On March 2, 1781, following final ratification by the 13th state, the Articles of Confederation became the law of the land.

Less than five years after the ratification of the Articles of Confederation, enough leading Americans decided that the system was inadequate to the task of governance that they peacefully overthrew their second government in just over 20 years. The difference between a collection of sovereign states forming a confederation and a federal government created by a sovereign people lay at the heart of debate as the new American people decided what form their new government would take.

In 1787, an extra-legal body met in seclusion during Philadelphia's summer heat to create this new government. On March 4, 1789, the modern United States was established when the U.S. Constitution formally replaced the Articles of Confederation.

Between 1776 and 1789, Americans went from living under a sovereign king, to living in sovereign states, to becoming a sovereign people. That transformation defined the American Revolution.

See? I told you that it's been a bumpy ride so far, but if I were you, I would hang on tight! I don't think that the bumpy ride is over just yet! In fact, the road ahead may just be the bumpiest yet!

Why don't we have our coffee out on the patio this morning? Here's a bowl of fresh oranges to go along with it!

10 comments:

The Griper said...

if you compare the two documents you'll find that the role of government didn't change, only the structure changed.

Gorges Smythe said...

Too deep for me in the middle of the night!

Ben in Texas said...

I'm with George on this. I'll need a LOT more coffee before I can figer that out.

linda m said...

Keep the coffee coming - this is going to tke me a while to figure out. Oranges do sound good to me this time of year.

JoJo said...

That is deep and I may have to read it several more times to get it. But meeting in secret? Isn't that what goes on now pretty much and then they tell us this is how it is. It worked at that time but I don't think its working now adays.
Like I said I will have to study this.
WOW fresh oranges sounds good. But the coffee sounds better. :)

HermitJim said...

Hey Griper...
I think the task to create something that all could agree on was and is quite an undertaking!

So much of it is just in how things are worded!

Thanks for coming over this morning!


Hey Gorges...
Sorry about any headaches this might cause!

Still, it just shows that things may not have been as cut and dried as many of us were taught!

A little food for thought!

Thanks for dropping by today!


Hey Ben...
Just gives us something to discuss at the table this morning, don't you think?

You know me...always stirring things up!

Thanks, buddy, for coming by this morning!


Hey Linda...
Certainly could be a topic for discussion!

I would imagine that there are many of us that have never heard of the Articles of Confederation!

Sounds like a Monday topic, doesn't it?

Thanks for the visit, my friend!


Hey JoJo...
Now days the government sometimes keeps things secret from each other!

When they don't know what is going on, it's hard to explain it to everyone else!

C'mon, sweetie! We'll figure it out over some more coffee!

Thanks for coming by today!

Dizzy-Dick said...

I think that all of our elected officials should read the constitution and the amendments so that they will have no excuse for not abiding by them.

HermitJim said...

Hey DD...
Ya know, that's not a bad idea! Trouble is, would they understand it once they read it?

As far as I am concerned, they have no excuse anyway!

Thanks, Dizzy, for dropping by today!

The Griper said...

i guess i'm old fashioned. when i have a question in regards to government i go to the source and ol' Ben Franklin had this to say,

"if you want to understand what kind of government that was set up, read the Articles of Confederation and the Constitutions of the States."

Unknown said...

wonderful

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