Do you think our country's history would be different if the Articles of Confederation had remained as our constitution?
yes, I do think our country's history would be different if the Articles had remained as our Constitution. Power was given to the states, not the government. The government was so weak it had no means of being able to protect the states. This left the states vulnerable for outsiders such as France or Britain to rebel and enforce their own rule. The government had no means of enforcing any laws put into place. For example, all they could do was ask for each state to pay their taxes. Most times the states refused. With a national government lacking the means to raise funds for essential services such as establishing any type of armed forces for protections against those that would rebel whether within the states or from outside sources, left each state vulnerable to colonization. Colonized countries would consist of diverse and different nations that appeared more like Europe. States would develop their own distinctive culture and people from being disengaged politically from other states.
The governments rule was limited. For example, All it could do was ask if the states would follow the law and pay their taxes. Most states refused to do so. This left the government no choice but to print money to try and pay for its debt from the Revolutionary War. Inflation became rapid because of this. More currency was printed which created a much greater chance of currency being counterfeited with each state. Each state refused to accept any currency from any other state which left trade between the states obsolete. This created states to compete in trade with the European and West Coast ports.
... not the federal government. [Each state had its own government, too, remember, so you need to differentiate.]
... vulnerable to ...
Are some words and punctuation omitted from sentence 4?
... for protection ...
"... and people from being disengaged..." [I don't know what that means.]
The federal government's ... [need possessive form there]
... all it could do ...
... trade between the states obsolete <~~ Find a better word than "obsolete"
"This created states to compete ... " [different wording is needed]
Content is MUCH better!! Explanations really help!
To determine how our country's history would be different if the Articles of Confederation had remained as our constitution, we need to consider the weaknesses and limitations of the Articles.
1. Lack of government power: Under the Articles of Confederation, power was decentralized and given to the states rather than the national government. This meant that the government had limited authority to enforce laws and protect the states. As a result, the states were vulnerable to external threats and rebellions from within.
2. Weak national defense: The government under the Articles had no means of raising funds to establish a strong military or defend the country against foreign powers. This left the states open to potential colonization or influence from other nations, such as France or Britain. A lack of a unified defense strategy could have resulted in a fragmented and less secure nation.
3. Limited economic coordination: The government's inability to enforce taxation led to financial difficulties. States often refused to pay their taxes, which forced the national government to print more money to cover its debt from the Revolutionary War. This rampant inflation, along with the lack of a national currency, created trade barriers between the states. Each state had its own currency, and states often refused to accept currency from other states, hampering inter-state commerce and potentially hindering economic growth.
Considering these weaknesses, it is likely that if the Articles of Confederation had remained as our constitution, our country's history would have been marked by significant challenges and potential conflicts between states. The lack of a strong central government and national defense could have resulted in increased external threats and internal divisions, making it harder for the country to unify and establish a cohesive national identity. Economic coordination and growth could have also been hampered by trade barriers and currency issues between states.