Our first United States Constitution, the Articles of Confederation 1781-1789, is often viewed as a complete failure. Is that a fair assessment or characterization? Were them any redeeming qualities to it? If the Articles had the power to tax, raise a military and regulate commerce, could the Articles have been a success with the states retaining significantly more autonomy and liberty while the centralized government stayed small limited in jurisdiction? Share you thoughts.... its tension we still have in our political dialogue regarding states rights or reserved powers and federal expansion, growth and arguably domination.....

Our first United States Constitution, the Articles of Confederation 1781-1789, is often viewed as a complete failure. Is that a fair assessment or characterization? Were them any redeeming qualities to it? If the Articles had the power to tax, raise a military and regulate commerce, could the Articles have been a success with the states retaining significantly more autonomy and liberty while the centralized government stayed small limited in jurisdiction? Share you thoughts.... its tension we still have in our political dialogue regarding states rights or reserved powers and federal expansion, growth and arguably domination.....