In order to support and protect their newly-won freedoms, the Second Continental Congress proposed an Article of Confederation in 1777 to the thirteen colonies, and it was ratified by March 1, 1781. It has been said that these Articles provided the United States with an effective government from the time of its ratification until 1789, upon which time the current Constitution was widely accepted. It can certainly be said that it provided an effective government in terms of territory, in the sense that it stabilized the northwest areas, if not the entire country. Others might argue that the…
