Chapter 6 & 7 notes Articles of Confederation The government set up by the Second Continental Congress, which fought the Revolutionary War and lasted until the Constitution was adopted. Much maligned for its lack of strong, central leadership, the Confederation government depended on the voluntary agreement of the states in waging the War of Independence. Specifically, it was given power to: Conduct war Handle foreign relations and secure loans Borrow money It had no money to: Regulate trade Conscript troops Levy taxes During the Second Continental Congress, Congress appointed a committee to draw up a plan for confederation of the colonies -chose John Dickinson who had written an important revolutionary pamphlet titled Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania