Lessons Learned: The Articles of Confederation

Summary

In this 'Lessons Learned' episode, Jim Lindsay explores the challenges of crafting a successful constitution, using the United States' Articles of Confederation as a case study. Implemented in 1781, the Articles were designed to prevent a powerful central government but instead resulted in a weak national authority, leading to internal disputes and ineffective foreign policy. The failure of the Articles prompted the creation of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. The episode concludes by highlighting the enduring difficulty of establishing a constitution that works, a challenge faced by many nations today.

Takeaways

• 📜 The United States Constitution has lasted for over two centuries, which is a rarity compared to other countries' constitutions.
• 🏛️ The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the United States, coming into effect on March 1, 1781.
• 🤔 The Articles of Confederation reflected a deep distrust of a strong central government, similar to the sentiment that sparked the revolution.
• 🏞️ The individual states retained most of their sovereignty, with the national government having limited powers, mainly over foreign policy.
• 🚫 The national government under the Articles could not impose taxes or regulate economic relations between states.
• 🏛️ The Articles did not establish an executive branch; Congress held all national government powers.
• ❌ The Articles of Confederation proved to be ineffective in practice, leading to internal disputes and weak foreign policy.
• 🤝 The Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War, faced delays due to lack of state representation in Congress.
• 📉 Dissatisfaction with the Articles grew, leading to a convention in 1787 where delegates decided to write a new constitution.
• 🌟 The lesson from the Articles of Confederation is that writing a constitution is easy, but creating one that works is challenging.
• ✍️ The U.S. Constitution, a product of the second attempt, has been amended over two dozen times, showing the need for adaptability in governance.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the transcript?

The main topic is the Articles of Confederation and the challenges of writing a lasting and effective constitution, as demonstrated by the U.S. Constitution.

Why did the Articles of Confederation fail?

The Articles of Confederation failed because they created a weak national government with limited powers. States retained too much sovereignty, which led to disputes between them, lack of cooperation in foreign affairs, and ineffective governance.

What major weakness of the Articles of Confederation is highlighted?

A major weakness of the Articles was that the national government could not impose taxes or regulate economic relations between states or with other countries, which crippled its ability to govern effectively.

What event marked the end of the Revolutionary War, as mentioned in the script?

The Revolutionary War effectively ended on October 19, 1781, when the colonists defeated the Redcoats at Yorktown.

How did the Founding Fathers view national government under the Articles of Confederation?

The Founding Fathers were deeply distrustful of a strong national government, which is why the Articles of Confederation gave most powers to the individual states and kept the national government weak.

When did the Articles of Confederation go into effect, and how was it ratified?

The Articles of Confederation went into effect on March 1, 1781, when Maryland became the 13th and final colony to ratify it.

What was the primary responsibility of the national government under the Articles of Confederation?

The primary responsibility of the national government under the Articles of Confederation was to manage the country's foreign policy.

Why did the Treaty of Paris face delays under the Articles of Confederation?

The Treaty of Paris faced delays because many state delegations failed to show up for sessions of Congress, reflecting the dysfunction of the national government under the Articles.

What lesson does the script suggest about writing a constitution?

The script suggests that while writing a constitution is easy, crafting one that works is difficult. Even America’s Framers didn't get it right the first time with the Articles of Confederation.

What modern countries are mentioned as facing struggles in creating effective systems of government?

The script mentions Egypt, Tunisia, Myanmar, and South Sudan as examples of countries struggling to create effective and legitimate systems of government.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Writing a Constitution: Easier Said Than Done

Jim Lindsay introduces the topic by questioning the difficulty of writing a constitution that endures over time. He contrasts the enduring success of the U.S. Constitution with the struggles other countries face in crafting effective governing documents. He sets the stage for discussing the Articles of Confederation, America’s first attempt at a national constitution.

📜 The Birth of the Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Second Continental Congress on March 1, 1781, following Maryland’s ratification. While the American Revolution’s battles and events are well-known, the Articles of Confederation—drafted as the nation’s first constitution—often receive less attention. They were shaped by a distrust of strong central authority, resulting in a loose confederation of sovereign states.

⚖️ A Weak Central Government

The Articles of Confederation created a weak national government, giving it minimal authority. It lacked the power to impose taxes, regulate interstate or international commerce, or enforce laws. Congress was the sole governing body, and there was no executive branch. While the Articles appeared logical on paper, in practice, they failed to create an effective government.

💔 The Problems Under the Articles

Under the Articles, the national government was too weak to address critical issues. The states acted independently, often to the detriment of the collective good—negotiating separate trade deals, protecting local industries, and ignoring foreign policy. The inability to unify and act decisively led to dissatisfaction and a realization that the Articles were inadequate.

🏛️ The Philadelphia Convention: A Second Chance

By the 1780s, dissatisfaction with the Articles grew, prompting a convention in Philadelphia in 1787 to amend them. The delegates quickly decided to discard the Articles entirely and draft a new constitution, which ultimately became the U.S. Constitution. The lesson here is that writing a constitution that works is difficult, and even the most capable Framers didn’t succeed on their first attempt.

🌍 Lessons for Modern Nations

Jim Lindsay concludes by emphasizing the challenge of creating a durable and effective constitution. He notes that America's Constitution, despite its success, has been amended over two dozen times. He draws a parallel to modern nations like Egypt, Tunisia, Myanmar, and South Sudan, which face challenges in building effective governments. He invites viewers to reflect on what makes a constitution durable and to share their thoughts on his blog, The Water’s Edge.

Keywords

💡Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation were the first constitution of the United States, adopted in 1777. They reflected the colonies' fear of a strong central government by giving most power to the individual states. This led to a weak national government that struggled with foreign relations and interstate conflicts, as discussed in the video.

💡Sovereignty

Sovereignty refers to the supreme power or authority that the individual colonies retained under the Articles of Confederation. The video highlights that the states' desire for sovereignty led to conflicts and inefficiencies, as each state prioritized its own interests over national unity.

💡Founding Fathers

The Founding Fathers were the group of leaders who helped establish the United States and its government. The video mentions their role in writing both the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution, emphasizing that even these highly capable individuals struggled to create a functional system of government initially.

💡Constitution

A constitution is a written document outlining the fundamental principles and laws of a nation. The video contrasts the failed Articles of Confederation with the more durable U.S. Constitution, which has lasted over two centuries but required amendments and revisions to remain effective.

💡Second Continental Congress

The Second Continental Congress was the governing body that led the American colonies during the Revolutionary War and approved the Articles of Confederation in 1777. The video explains how this Congress sought to balance state sovereignty with the need for a national government, though their solution proved inadequate.

💡Treaty of Paris

The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War. The video mentions how the Articles of Confederation made it difficult for the national government to ratify this treaty due to states failing to cooperate, highlighting the inefficacy of the Articles.

💡U.S. Constitution

The U.S. Constitution is the second and current constitution of the United States, written in 1787 to replace the Articles of Confederation. The video underscores how this new document created a stronger federal government that has endured for centuries, although it has been amended over time to address changing needs.

💡Philadelphia Convention

The Philadelphia Convention, also known as the Constitutional Convention, was a meeting in 1787 where delegates from 12 states (except Rhode Island) decided to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new constitution. The video describes this as a key moment in American history when the framers recognized the failures of the Articles and sought to create a more effective government.

💡Amendments

Amendments are changes or additions made to a constitution. The video highlights how even the U.S. Constitution, which has lasted for more than 200 years, has been amended over two dozen times, indicating that no constitution is perfect and may need revisions to address new challenges.

💡Foreign Policy

Foreign policy refers to a nation's strategy in dealing with other countries. Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government was responsible for managing foreign policy, but the video explains how the weak structure of the Articles hindered effective coordination, leading to delays like those seen with the Treaty of Paris.

Highlights

The United States Constitution has lasted for over two centuries, unlike many others that have failed.

The Articles of Confederation went into effect on March 1, 1781, after Maryland's ratification.

The Articles of Confederation were approved by the Second Continental Congress in November 1777 after extensive debate.

The Articles reflected a deep distrust of national government, similar to the sentiment that sparked the revolution.

Under the Articles, individual colonies retained most of their sovereignty, with the national government having minimal powers.

The national government's main task was to manage foreign policy, with no power to tax or regulate inter-state commerce.

The Articles did not create an executive branch; Congress held all national government powers.

In practice, the Articles were a disaster, making the national government too weak due to an overemphasis on preventing tyranny.

States often ignored foreign affairs and negotiated their own trade deals, leading to internal conflicts.

The Treaty of Paris, ending the Revolutionary War, was delayed due to lack of state representation in Congress.

Dissatisfaction with the Articles grew, leading to a convention in 1787 to revise them.

Delegates from all states except Rhode Island decided to replace the Articles entirely, resulting in the U.S. Constitution.

The lesson from the Articles of Confederation is that writing a constitution is easy; writing one that works is hard.

The U.S. Constitution, a second attempt, has lasted over two centuries but has been amended more than two dozen times.

The difficulty of crafting an effective constitution is evident in countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Myanmar, and South Sudan.

Revolution and political change create opportunities for democracy and rule of law, but success is not guaranteed.

The question posed is: what makes for a durable and effective constitution?

Jim Lindsay invites viewers to discuss the topic on his blog, The Water's Edge, at CFR.org.

Transcripts

Do you think it is easy to write a constitution for a country?

Did you ever wonder why the United States has a constitution that has lasted for more

than two centuries while other countries have failed to find one that works?

I’m Jim Lindsay, and this is Lessons Learned.

Our topic today is the Articles of Confederation, which went into effect on March 1, 1781, when

Maryland became the 13th and final colony to ratify it.

Most of us know all about the major battles and events of the American Revolution.

April 19, 1775 saw Paul Revere’s midnight ride and the battles at Lexington and Concord.

July 4,, 1776 saw the Declaration of Independence.

The winter of 1777 saw the hardships of Valley Forge.

October 19, 1781 saw the colonists defeat the Redcoats at Yorktown, effectively ending

the war.

What typically gets forgotten in story of the American Revolution, however, is the constitution

the Founding Fathers wrote to govern the new country: the Articles of Confederation.

The Second Continental Congress approved it in November 1777, after more than a year of

debate.

The Articles of Confederation reflected the same deep distrust of national government

that had prompted the colonists to rebel in the first place.

The individual colonies largely retained their sovereignty, or power, over events within

their own borders.

The one major task they gave the national government was the duty to manage the country’s

foreign policy.

Other than that the national government had few powers.

It could not impose taxes.

Nor could it regulate economic relations between states or with other countries.

The Articles of Confederation didn’t even create an executive branch.

Congress exercised all the powers of the national government.

The Articles of Confederation no doubt looked sensible on paper.

In practice, it was a disaster.

In keeping the national government from becoming too powerful, the Articles made it too weak.

The states, ever jealous of their sovereignty, squabbled among themselves.

They negotiated their own trade deals with Europe.

They protected their own industries at the expense of industries in other states.

And they frequently ignored foreign affairs.

The Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War, languished for months because so many

state delegations failed to show up for sessions of Congress.

Dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation grew over the course of the 1780s.

In the summer of 1787 delegates from all thirteen states, except for Rhode Island, met in Philadelphia

to discuss how to fix the Articles.

They quickly decided the smartest move was to dump it entirely.

They ended up writing what became the U.S. Constitution.

So what it is the lesson of the Articles of Confederation?

Just this: It is easy to write a constitution.

What is hard is to write a constitution that works.

America’s Framers, a smart and capable bunch, didn’t get it right the first time.

Their second effort has lasted for more than two centuries, but even then it has been formally

amended more than two dozen times.

The difficulty of crafting a constitution that works is worth keeping in mind as we

watch countries such as Egypt, Tunisia, Myanmar, and South Sudan struggle to create effective

and legitimate systems of government.

Revolutions, political openings, and independence bids can create opportunities to build democracies

and establish the rule of law.

But success is by no means guaranteed.

Here’s a question to consider: what makes for a durable and effective constitution?

I encourage you to weigh in on my blog, The Water’s Edge, which you can find it at CFR.org.

I’m Jim Lindsay.

Thank you for watching this installment of Lessons Learned.