How were laws passed under the Articles of Confederation?

How were laws passed under the Articles of Confederation?

• A. Majority vote of states
• B. Approval of nine out of thirteen states
• C. Unanimous approval of Congress
• D. Approval by the President

Answer: (B)

Under the Articles of Confederation, laws required the approval of nine out of the thirteen states to be enacted. This supermajority requirement reflected the Articles' intention to ensure that significant decisions had widespread support among the states. This system was designed to prevent any single state from dominating the legislative process and instilled a degree of cooperation among the states. The need for nine states meant that consensus was essential, as it was more difficult to pass laws compared to a simple majority but was intended to strike a balance between effectiveness and protecting state sovereignty. Consequently, the requirement for supermajority approval contributed to the challenges the Confederation faced, as it could lead to legislative gridlock when states disagreed. This aspect of the Articles ultimately highlighted one of the weaknesses of the federal system created by the Articles of Confederation, as it limited the ability of Congress to respond effectively to the needs of the nation.

Under the Articles of Confederation, laws required the approval of nine out of the thirteen states to be enacted. This supermajority requirement reflected the Articles' intention to ensure that significant decisions had widespread support among the states. This system was designed to prevent any single state from dominating the legislative process and instilled a degree of cooperation among the states.

The need for nine states meant that consensus was essential, as it was more difficult to pass laws compared to a simple majority but was intended to strike a balance between effectiveness and protecting state sovereignty. Consequently, the requirement for supermajority approval contributed to the challenges the Confederation faced, as it could lead to legislative gridlock when states disagreed. This aspect of the Articles ultimately highlighted one of the weaknesses of the federal system created by the Articles of Confederation, as it limited the ability of Congress to respond effectively to the needs of the nation.