Confederation period

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The Confederation period was the era in early United States history (1781–1789) when the nation was governed under the Articles of Confederation, marked by a weak central government and significant challenges that led to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.

All labels observed (5)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (53)

Predicate Object
instanceOf historical era
period in United States history
alsoKnownAs Critical Period
Era of the Articles of Confederation
amendmentRule unanimous consent of the states required
causeOf drafting of the United States Constitution
movement for stronger federal government
country United States
economicCondition postwar recession in parts of the United States
endTime 1789
federalPower limited to powers expressly delegated
followedBy Constitutional era
Early national period of the United States
foreignPolicyConstraint difficulty enforcing treaties
governingDocument Articles of Confederation
hasCharacteristic lack of executive branch at national level
no national judiciary
strong state sovereignty
unicameral national legislature
weak central government
hasKeyFigure Alexander Hamilton
George Washington
James Madison
John Jay
Robert Morris
Thomas Jefferson
hasParticipant Confederation Congress delegates
Thirteen original states
keyIssue British occupation of western forts
Spanish closure of the Mississippi River
currency instability
domestic unrest
frontier conflicts with Native American nations
interstate trade disputes
lack of federal taxing power
war debt repayment
legalStatusOfStates sovereign and independent
legislativeBody Confederation Congress
militaryAuthority no standing national army in peacetime
notableEvent Annapolis Convention of 1786
Land Ordinance of 1785
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
linked to: Northwest Ordinance

Philadelphia Convention of 1787
Shays' Rebellion
Treaty of Paris 1783
establishment of the Department of Finance
establishment of the Department of Foreign Affairs
establishment of the Department of War
ratification of the Articles of Confederation
precededBy American Revolutionary War era
startTime 1781
taxationAuthority no direct federal taxation power
votingRuleInCongress one vote per state

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

American Revolutionary era hasPart Confederation period
Virginia Ratifying Convention timePeriod Confederation period of United States history
linked to: Confederation period
United Colonies of America succeededBy Confederation-era United States
linked to: Confederation period
Newburgh Conspiracy hasHistoricalPeriod Confederation era of United States history
linked to: Confederation period
Confederation period alsoKnownAs Era of the Articles of Confederation
linked to: Confederation period