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[[File:United_States_Central_map_1784-03-01_to_1784-05-12.png|thumb|United_States_Central_map_1784-03-01_to_1784-05-12]] [[file:James_Madison,_by_Charles_Willson_Peale,_1783.png|right|thumb|James_Madison,_by_Charles_Willson_Peale,_1783]] [[file:Robert_Morris.jpg|right|thumb|Robert_Morris]] [[file:General_George_Washington_Resigning_his_Commission.jpg|thumb|General_George_Washington_Resigning_his_Commission]] [[file:Non-Native_Nations_Claim_over_NAFTA_countries_1783.png|thumb|Non-Native_Nations_Claim_over_NAFTA_countries_1783]] [[file:John_Jay_at_National_Portrait_Gallery_IMG_4446.JPG|thumb|John_Jay_at_National_Portrait_Gallery_IMG_4446]] [[file:Washington_Constitutional_Convention_1787.jpg|thumb|Washington_Constitutional_Convention_1787]] == Confederation Period ==

The '''Confederation Period''' in [[United States history]] refers to the era between the end of the [[American Revolutionary War]] in 1783 and the establishment of the [[United States Constitution]] in 1789. This period is characterized by the governance of the United States under the [[Articles of Confederation]], which was the nation's first constitution.

=== Background ===
The [[Articles of Confederation]] were adopted by the [[Second Continental Congress]] in 1777 and ratified by all thirteen states by 1781. The Articles created a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments.

=== Key Features ===
The Confederation Period was marked by several key features:
* **Weak Central Government**: The central government had limited powers, with no authority to levy taxes or regulate commerce.
* **State Sovereignty**: Each state retained its sovereignty, freedom, and independence.
* **Unicameral Legislature**: The [[Confederation Congress]] was a single-chamber legislature where each state had one vote.
* **No Executive or Judicial Branch**: There was no separate executive branch or national judiciary.

=== Challenges ===
The Confederation Period faced numerous challenges:
* **Economic Disarray**: The national government lacked the power to tax, leading to financial difficulties and an inability to pay debts from the Revolutionary War.
* **Interstate Disputes**: States often engaged in disputes over boundaries and trade.
* **Foreign Relations**: The weak central government struggled to negotiate effectively with foreign powers.

=== Significant Events ===
* **Shays' Rebellion**: An armed uprising in 1786-1787 by Massachusetts farmers protesting economic injustices and the lack of federal response highlighted the weaknesses of the Confederation government.
* **Annapolis Convention**: Held in 1786, this meeting aimed to address trade and commerce issues but ultimately led to the calling of the [[Constitutional Convention]].
* **Constitutional Convention**: In 1787, delegates met in [[Philadelphia]] to draft a new constitution, resulting in the creation of the [[United States Constitution]].

=== Transition to the Constitution ===
The inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the drafting of the United States Constitution, which established a stronger federal government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The Constitution was ratified by the states and went into effect in 1789, marking the end of the Confederation Period.

== Related Pages ==
* [[Articles of Confederation]]
* [[American Revolutionary War]]
* [[Second Continental Congress]]
* [[Shays' Rebellion]]
* [[Annapolis Convention]]
* [[Constitutional Convention]]
* [[United States Constitution]]

[[Category:History of the United States]]
[[Category:1780s in the United States]]
[[Category:Political history of the United States]]

{{US-hist-stub}}

Confederation period - Revision history

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