Were Articles of Confed. effective? (DBQ)

Don't worry about DBQ's they usually turn out to be some of the easiest essays to actually write. The main thing about writing a DBQ that makes it easier for me personally, is that you don't write about what you believe, you write about what the documants tell you to write about. So you don't really need to look through the book and write down all that you find about the Articles of Confederation, all that you need is already in the documents. Just read them all closely and write down what each one tells you. Now if that doesnt work for you, here are some of the main problems of the Articles:

1.) No Executive Branch - the colonists didnt want another King on their hands, so no centralized power.
2.) too much power given to the states - states did not pay federal taxes, and also they created their own currency, greatening disunion in America.
3.) Federal Govenment could not enforce taxes - no national treasury

However the Land Ordinance of 1785 worked beautifully in the creation of new states. It worked so well it was used in the creation of the newer states like New Mexico, and Alaska.

So there you go. Hope it helps you.

I just wrote this one. It helped me alot to categorize the doc's into proving either way (effective or ineffective). From there determine to what extent it was effective or not effective, remember you dont want a perfect answer, there are shades of gray(partially....but mostly...). Don't be afraid to go with your gut, you dont need to exxagerate the sucess or failure of anything, follow your gut about what each document says.

Okay, I know I will probably not get an answer for this because I know this is basically cheating, but I am going to give it a try anyway. My teacher gave us this question today, but did not give us the documents. We are getting them in class tomorrow and writing the DBQ tomorrow. I am already failing the class as it is and I do not want to fail this DBQ. I desperately need to know what the heck the documents are. I have a thesis and an outline already based on the question, but I would really like to know if my thesis and organization will work. I was thinking of hitting the points I already know. The Articles was not effect. Congress did not have any power to control the economy, the economy was dropping, foreign countries were not helping us because France and Spain are already mad at us, and the state governments were not doing anything to help the situtation.

If anybody would like to maybe even just describe the documents, I would be eternally grateful. If not, I completely understand. Thanks.

I haven't written this DBQ, but I'll say what I think. DBQ's are easy points, if you can look at a picture or read something and understand what it's trying to convey, you're set. My first DBQ I flipped out, ever since then I've never cared about them...sometimes my teacher has given them without any notice and I still pass. They're not as hard as some people say.