1.

Look up the word “confederation” in a dictionary and write down the meaning
which you think best fits the arrangement that the thirteen states created.

An organization which consists of a number of parties or groups united in an alliance or

league.
A more or less permanent union of states with some or most political power vested in a
central authority.

2. Review Articles I, II, and III. Explain why one historian commented that after
March 1781 there were fourteen semi-independent governments in America.

One historian might say “fourteen” semi-independent governments, even though they were
just 13 colonies, because the states’ governments were almost in all but name separate from
the central government made up from the Articles of Confederation. As such, there were 13
independent state governments, and 1 independent central government, adding up to 14
semi-independent governments.

3. Why do you think that the authors of the Articles of Confederation gave each state
equal representation in Congress, regardless of population?

They might do this because if the majority is wrong or they could end abusing the
minorities. In the case of the United States and the articles of Confederation, this would
mean that states’ like New York and Virginia’s interests would be equally listened to by the
central government as the interests of states like Georgia and Delaware

4. According to Article VIII, how is the national government to be funded? What

potential problems do you foresee in this arrangement?

The money should be taken out of a treasury which needs to be supplied by the several
states in proportion to the value of all lands that each state owns. The taxes for paying that
proportion shall be a motion that's actively debating by the authority and direction of the
legislatures of the states that were agreed by the United States Congress.

5. According to Article IX, how many states were required to approve major
decisions? According to Article XIII, how many states were required to approve
changes in the Articles of Confederation?

According to Article IX, it would require nine states for any major decision to be approved.

According to Article XIII, every single state should agree in order for the Articles of
Confederation to be changed.
6. The phrase “United States in Congress assembled” occurs frequently in the Articles
of Confederation. Why is this phrase a more accurate description of the new
government than the phrase “United States of America,” which is used only once?

United States in Congress assembled means that the states were United when congress was
assembled. This statement would be infinitely more accurate than United States of America
because the states were not really United when they weren’t assembled in congress.

Evaluating the Articles of Confederation

1. Summarize the political conflict presented in your group’s case study.

The Political conflict is between UK, USA, France and Algeria since UK paid the Algerian
Pirates to not attack their ships, USA has been attacked by Pirates and they need to pay so
they don’t get attacked by them so USA asks France if they can pay for them but they say
no so the US forges passes of French and English ships.

2. What was the main cause of the problem?

That the Pirates were not being controlled by the government.

3. How did the structure of the Articles of Confederation contribute to the problem?

By showing some basic rules.

4. How did the national government address the problem?

By addressing the French government so they paid for them and by forging their passes.

5. Who benefited from the government’s approach to the problem? Whose interests were
harmed?

Benefited: Every sailor.

Harmed: The pirates were harmed with their economy by getting scammed.

6. With respect to your case study, how effectively did the confederate system function to
promote the overall good of the republic?

By not losing merchandise with the pirates and their economy ascended since they were not
stolen and because they did not have to pay ransom for the kidnapped pirates.