Terms to know:

Articles of Confederation: The first constitution of the United States, created during the Revolutionary War to govern the new nation.

Constitution: The document that replaced the Articles of Confederation, establishing the structure of the U.S. government.

Sovereignty: The authority of a state to govern itself.

Ratify: To officially approve or confirm a document.

Federalism: The division of power between the national government and state governments.

Weaknesses of the Articles: Limited power to tax, no executive branch, no national court system, and difficulty passing laws.

Strengths of the Articles: Launched the first government of the new states, established a sense of unity among states, and created a framework for western land policies.

Historical Source:

"The Articles of Confederation created a loose alliance among the states, but it lacked the power to effectively govern or unify the nation." Provenance: Historian summarizing the impact of the Articles, written in modern history books.