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What was the Articles of Confederation?

The Articles of Confederation was the document drafted by the original thirteen United States at the Continental Congress, the government established by the colonies when they declared independence from Great Britain. (The original thirteen colonies were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.) The document was approved at York, Pennsylvania, on November 15, 1777, and went into effect on March 1, 1781, after it was ratified (approved) by the state of Maryland. The articles had shortcomings, such as providing the states with more power than the central government by stipulating that Congress rely on the states both to collect taxes and to carry out the acts of Congress. Delegates (state representatives) to the Congress realized that these state powers...

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