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With the new, independent nation, the Continental Congress decided to create a new government, with their ideas. This new government became to be known as Articles of Confederation, which consisted of regulating commerce, levying taxes, and the government would not interfere in any taxation. Although the Articles of Confederation benefited the United States with an effective government, it was not strong enough to govern efficiently. The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation shadowed the strengths.

In Rhode Island Assembly's letter to Congress (A), they listed reasons why they would reject the recommendation of Congress. They do not want to pay expensive taxes to the government with no benefit towards them. They stated that the taxes were "repugnant to the liberty of the United States." The Articles did not give enough power to the Congress to regulate the commerce of every state. The economy would be become more unstable if the states did not pay their taxes, leading the nation to be in debt. "..It would be unequal in its operation, bearing hardest on the most commercial states... which draw its chief support from commerce" (A) States argued on how they would be taxed. Some states argued that the taxation of the states would depend on the size of the states and its population; the large states pay higher taxes, while the smaller states pay lower taxes. The other states found their taxation was unfair based on their commercial base.

In John Jay's speech to Congress (F) he states that he is concerned with the navigation of the Mississippi and the territorial limits between Spain and the United States. The population grew quickly and the territories of the states were turned over to the national government, which was hard to control. In document B, the population began to grow over the years, but the exports to Great Britain remained about the same. Document B's graph demonstrates how the Articles was ineffective in controlling trade. In Document A, Jay also states, "Mr. Gardoqui strongly insists on our relinquishing our right to navigate the Mississippi." This results in the meeting of the Constitutional Convention.

With these numerous problems that the Articles of Confederation caused, and the eight years of revision, the Articles called for the Constitutional Convention which developed the more detailed Constitution. The Articles was a foundation of the Constitution. The meeting

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