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Confederation period facts for kids

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United States of America

1781–1789
The Confederation Period came to a close with the adoption of the 1789 Constitution
Motto: E pluribus unum (Latin)
:"Out of many, one"
Anthem: None official
Map of the United States in 1783
Map of the United States in 1783
Capital Philadelphia
(1781-1783)
Princeton
(1783)
Annapolis
(1783-1784)
Trenton
(1784)
New York City
(1784-1789)
Common languages
Religion
Majority:
Protestantism
Minority:
Catholicism
Judaism
Native American religions
Government Confederal republic
President of the Congress  
• 1779–1781
Samuel Huntington (first)
• 1788
Cyrus Griffin (last)
Legislature Congress of the Confederation
Historical era American Revolution
• Articles of Confederation came to effect
1 March 1781
September 1781
June 1783
• Signing of the Treaty of Paris
September 1783
May 1787
August 1787
• States begin ratification of Constitution
December 1787
• Articles of Confederation superseded by 1789 Constitution
4 March 1789
Currency Continental Currency
Preceded by
Thirteen Colonies

The Confederation Period was a time in United States history during the 1780s. It happened right after the American Revolution and before the U.S. Constitution was put into effect.

In 1781, the United States approved the Articles of Confederation. This was like their first rulebook for the country. That same year, American forces won the Battle of Yorktown. This was the last big land battle of the American Revolutionary War. In 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed, officially making the U.S. an independent nation.

During this period, the new United States faced many problems. There wasn't a strong central government to unite the states. This era ended in 1789 when the U.S. Constitution was approved. The Constitution created a new, stronger national government.

What Were the Articles of Confederation?

The Articles of Confederation created a very loose union of states. It gave the national government very little power. An assembly of delegates (representatives) acted for their states. This group, called the United States in Congress Assembled, had almost no authority. It couldn't do much without the states agreeing.

Why the Government Was Weak

The government under the Articles had no single leader, like a president. It also had no court system. Congress could not collect taxes from the states. It couldn't control trade between states or with other countries. This made it hard to deal with foreign powers.

Because Congress was so weak, important leaders often chose to work in state governments instead. The national government struggled to solve the country's problems. This led many people to want changes or even for states to leave the union.

Challenges for the New Nation

After the Treaty of Paris, the United States owned a huge area of land. This land stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River. But settling these new lands was difficult.

Problems with Land and Neighbors

Native American groups resisted new settlements. Also, Great Britain and Spain were still nearby. The British refused to leave American territory. Spain controlled the Mississippi River, which made it hard for settlers to move west.

The Northwest Ordinance

In 1787, Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance. This was a very important law. It created the first organized territory controlled by the national government. This set a pattern for how new areas would become states later on.

Moving Towards a Stronger Government

Congress tried to fix the Articles of Confederation, but they failed. So, in 1787, many national leaders met in Philadelphia. Their goal was to create a brand new constitution.

The new Constitution was approved in 1788. The new federal government started meeting in 1789. This marked the official end of the Confederation Period. It was the start of a new, more unified United States.

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