Articles of Confederation

Before the inception of the current United States Constitution, another written constitution was present and albeit ineffectively, governing the colonial union. The Articles of Confederation were drafted during the Second Continental Congress, which convened for a period of approximately seventeen months. The Second Continental Congress was a congressional body made-up of delegates from each of the American colonies. On November 15, 1777, the congressional body agreed to a resolution which stipulated how the "union" should be administered, known as the Articles of Confederation.

In order for the Articles of Confederation to be enacted, each individual colony had to ratify (agree) to abide by it. Initially, eleven of the thirteen colonies approved it, and with time, the other two colonies eventually ratified it, as well. Officially, the Articles of Confederation became effective on March 1, 1781.

Unlike the current United States union, the Articles of Confedearion called for a loose coalition among the American colonies, and thus the governing body wasn't afforded with much power nor responsibility. Essentially, the Articles of Confederation provided for a symbolic federal government, but not an effective one in which they allocated many rights to. As per the Articles of Confederation, the intention of this coalition was to provide for a "common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare".

The government created by the Articles of Confederation was a unicameral (one body) congressional body. The congress was made up of delegates appointed by each colonial government, and they were appointed on a yearly basis. As such, there wasn't an executive nor a judicial branch created by the Articles. The congressional body delegates each had one vote, not distributed proportionately. The delegates would choose amonst themselves and elect a fellow delegate to preside over the body. This position, however, was not the equivalent of the President of the United States. Additionally, the Congress was charged with appointing people to civil servant positions.