Suchergebnisse

Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Contents -- A New Country -- Difficulties and Divisions -- Governing Laws -- The Dickinson Draft -- Debating the Draft -- Ratification -- The 13 Articles -- Weaknesses -- Glossary -- For More Information -- Index -- Back Cover

In the midst of the American Revolution, the Founding Fathers began planning a new government. Wary of overreach, they created a weak central government through the Articles of Confederation that proved ineffective at keeping the new nation united. Today, states' rights are still debated, and people have different opinions on how weak the central government should be. Full-color photographs, sidebars, and fascinating fact boxes highlight the reasons why the Articles of Confederation failed. This helps readers think critically about the current debate over weak versus strong central government, which is highlighted in enlightening discussion questions.

After the last battle of the American Revolution was fought, the leaders of the young United States still faced an uphill battle: How to govern the new nation with its diverse citizens and conflicting viewpoints. This enlightening text will introduce readers to the Articles of Confederation, the first written document to establish the United States national government. Key details regarding the Articles of Confederation are discussed, including its accomplishments and shortcomings, in an approachable way that is both compelling and accessible to struggling readers. This lively text also features striking images, a constructive timeline, and intriguing fact boxes to make it a beneficial addition to any social studies collection.

Rather than focusing on why the states did not contribute to the national government under the Articles of Confederation, Collective Action under the Articles of Confederation asks why they, in fact, did - even when they should not have been expected to contribute. Why did states pay large portions of their requisitions to the federal government when problems of collective action and the lack of governmental incentives suggest that they should not have? Using original data on Continental troop movements and federal debt holdings within each state, in this 2001 book, Dougherty shows that states contributed to the national government when doing so produced local gains. Such a theory stands in stark contrast to the standard argument that patriotism and civic duty encouraged state cooperation. Material incentives and local interests bound the union together and explained the push for constitutional reform more than the common pursuit of mutual goals