PA 600

• July 4 1776
• Written by the Continental Congress, comprised of delegates from each colony - now independent nations, in response to the perceived wrongs exacted by King George III of England, to establish independence.

• Appointed Royal Governors - viewed as autocratic by the colonists.
• Ignored laws passes by the local assemblies.
• Passed laws applicable to the colonists in Parliament that the colonists thought were unjust.
• Really didn't do anything wrong but the colonists - so far removed from England they began to feel more independant and demanding of control over their

Adopted Nov 1777: No executive, all legislative power

John Adams commented that the legislature created under the Art. of Confd. were more like "an assembly of ambassadors" than a legislature - per Pugh more like the UN today.

• •Each state had one vote in the legislature.
• •9 votes (super majority to pass legislation)

• War
• Foreign Affairs
• Treasury
• Justice

• Drawbacks
• •attempt to maintain state sovereignty prevented the federal government from functioning
• •all run by committee
• •treasury can't force the states to pay taxes (during or after the war); no common currency
• •justice - "home court advantage" laws only applicable in the states they originated
• •interstate commerce - tariffs favoring manufacturing state and no common currency prevents seamless commerce

People are essentially good.