Confederation period facts for kids

Quick facts for kids United States of America
1781–1789 The Confederation Period came to a close with the adoption of the 1789 Constitution
Flag Seal
Motto: E pluribus unum (Latin) :"Out of many, one"
Anthem: None official
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	English Dutch German Indigenous American languages Various other minor 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
• Battle of Yorktown	September 1781
• Philadelphia Mutiny	June 1783
• Signing of the Treaty of Paris	September 1783
• Constitutional Convention begins	May 1787
• Shays' Rebellion	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• Articles of Confederation superseded by 1789 Constitution	4 March 1789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.

Images for kids

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  The Betsy Ross flag, a popular design during the Confederation Period.

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  The Great Seal of the United States, adopted in 1782.

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  A map of the United States after the Treaty of Paris in 1783.