Under the Articles of Confederation, if Maine was attacked and invaded by New Hampshire, what could the federal government do to help?
Call up the federal military to force the New Hampshire militia to retreat.
Ask the states to help, but the states could choose not to assist.
Order the New Hampshire militia to stand down and return home.
Raise taxes to punish New Hampshire for the attack.
Under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government had limited powers and authority, so the options available for the federal government to help in the scenario where Maine was attacked and invaded by New Hampshire would be quite constrained.
1. Call up the federal military to force the New Hampshire militia to retreat: The federal government did not have its own standing army under the Articles of Confederation. It could request the states to provide troops, but each state had the choice to fulfill that request or not. Therefore, it would be difficult for the federal government to assemble a military force capable of intervening in the situation.
2. Ask the states to help, but the states could choose not to assist: As mentioned earlier, the federal government could request assistance from the states, but it had no power to compel them to provide military support. Each state retained its own sovereignty and could decide whether or not to assist Maine.
3. Order the New Hampshire militia to stand down and return home: The federal government did not possess the authority to directly order state militias. State militias were under the control of their respective state governments and were not subject to the direct authority of the federal government.
4. Raise taxes to punish New Hampshire for the attack: The federal government had limited powers to raise revenue under the Articles of Confederation, and raising taxes required the unanimous consent of all thirteen states. Therefore, it would be highly unlikely that the federal government could raise taxes specifically to punish New Hampshire for the attack.
In summary, under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government had minimal ability to intervene in such a scenario. It could request assistance from the states, but the states had the choice to assist or not. The federal government did not possess the power to call up a military or directly command state militias. Additionally, raising taxes to punish the attacking state would require unanimous consent from all states, which was challenging to achieve.
Under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government had limited powers and authority. Therefore, there were only a few actions it could take to help in a situation like the invasion of Maine by New Hampshire.
1. Ask the states for assistance: The federal government could appeal to the other states for help and support, but ultimately, each state had the choice to provide assistance or not. The cooperation of the states was crucial, as the federal government did not have its own standing army or military forces.
2. Call up the federal military: The federal government did not possess its own standing army under the Articles of Confederation. However, it could request the state militias to provide troops to address the invasion. It could potentially "call up" the federal military to protect Maine's interests, but it would rely on the individual states to contribute their militia forces.
3. Negotiation and diplomatic efforts: The federal government could try to mediate a resolution between Maine and New Hampshire. It could order the New Hampshire militia to stand down and return home through diplomatic means or negotiations to prevent further escalation.
4. Limited financial measures: While not explicitly mentioned in the options provided, the federal government under the Articles of Confederation did not have the power to impose taxes or punishment directly on states. It could discuss the issue with the state representatives and seek a financial contribution from the states to compensate for damages caused by the invasion or to fund military efforts if necessary. However, raising taxes to specifically punish New Hampshire would not be within the powers of the federal government at that time.
It is important to note that under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government was relatively weak compared to the state governments, and state sovereignty took precedence. Thus, the response to such an invasion would largely depend on the individual states and their willingness to assist in resolving the situation.
Under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government had limited powers, which included maintaining an army, mediating disputes between states, and conducting foreign affairs. However, it did not have the power to directly intervene in matters such as a conflict between two states.
In the scenario you've presented, if Maine was attacked and invaded by New Hampshire, the federal government would be relatively powerless to directly intervene. Here's an explanation of the available options:
1. Call up the federal military to force the New Hampshire militia to retreat: The federal government could theoretically mobilize its military to try to resolve the conflict. However, this power was limited, and the military was often dependent on state militias. Moreover, in the case of an attack between two states, it would likely be seen as an internal matter that the federal government would be hesitant to intervene in.
2. Ask the states to help, but the states could choose not to assist: The federal government, as per the Articles of Confederation, could make a request to other states for assistance. However, each state had the autonomy to decide whether or not to provide aid. Therefore, the federal government could only hope that other states would voluntarily offer their assistance.
3. Order the New Hampshire militia to stand down and return home: The federal government, lacking direct authority over state militias under the Articles of Confederation, did not have the power to directly order a state militia to take particular actions. It could make requests or offer suggestions, but enforcement would ultimately rely on the cooperation of the state involved.
4. Raise taxes to punish New Hampshire for the attack: The federal government did not have the power to unilaterally impose taxes or enact punitive measures on individual states under the Articles of Confederation. It relied on voluntary contributions from the states to fund its operations. Therefore, punitive actions like raising taxes would not be viable in this scenario.
In conclusion, under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government's options for directly intervening or aiding in a conflict between two states were limited. It would primarily rely on negotiations, diplomatic efforts, and voluntary cooperation from the involved parties to help resolve the situation.