The ancient Unites States government adopted the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union Agreement as a measure to practice a constitutional mode of governance. The then existing united states of America, were in full support of the idea after proposal by the Congress. To achieve this, a committee of persons from each colony reported a draft of the Article of Confederation. The draft agreement was then sent to all the states and signed accordingly by the respective legislatures. The now operational Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union Agreement had strengths as well as weaknesses as explored herein. This paper selects and supports two of the articles while also pointing out one weak item.
Strengths of the Confederacy
Article three of the agreement stated that the confederation formed was to ensure unity in the member states in terms of their defense, protection of their liberties and general welfare among other benefits (Maggs, 2017). The confederacy ensured cohesion through a combined protection of their territories. No state was afraid of their neighbor since they all operated to a common objective, providing the goodness of all. Moreover, the work of the United States Congress was reduced in that the united colonies could solve most of their issues internally. Therefore, Congress was able to concentrate on more critical and imminent matters for everyone’s good (Radan, 2016).
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In the sixth article of the Confederation and Perpetual Union Agreement, it was also agreed that no state shall enter into any action that could prove detrimental to the wellbeing of her fellow members (Maggs, 2017). Through the hindrance of any colony participating in a treaty, friendship, confederation or any form of alliance with her fellow state or an external entity protected the central interest of the Congress. Leaking of secrets of the united states’ interests were also preserved.
Weaknesses of the Confederacy
Barring other colonies from entering the agreement apart from Canada was an inefficient move as stated in article eleven (Radan, 2016). Failure to clarify on why Canada would join the Confederacy and other interested powers denied not unless with the consent of nine states. It would have been more reasonable to involve all the member colonies in admitting a new member rather than just nine. Moreover, giving Canada free access to the advantages of the treaty could have raised concerns among the other rejected interest groups who could then plan ill of the united colonies.
Conclusion
Most of the measures taken by the committee of representatives from each colony were good. The Article of Confederation and Perpetual Union Agreement proved a vital measure for practicing a democracy as well as a constitutional form of governance. Unity was created and the interests of everyone including the minority such as fugitives were protected. However, as seen in Article 11 of the agreement, a form of segregation was practiced without a stated reason. Other interested and potential members felt left out in growing their constitutionalism.
References
Maggs, G. E. (2017). A Concise Guide to the Articles of Confederation as a Source for Determining the Original Meaning of the Constitution. Geo. Wash. L. Rev. , 85 , 397.
Radan, P. (2016). An attempt at secession from an early nation-state: the confederate States of America. In The Ashgate Research Companion to Secession (pp. 127-140). Routledge.
