<P> The Articles formed a war - time confederation of states, with an extremely limited central government . While unratified, the document was used by the Congress to conduct business, direct the American Revolutionary War, conduct diplomacy with foreign nations, and deal with territorial issues and Native American relations . The adoption of the Articles made few perceptible changes in the federal government, because it did little more than legalize what the Continental Congress had been doing . That body was renamed the Congress of the Confederation; but Americans continued to call it the Continental Congress, since its organization remained the same . </P> <P> As the Confederation Congress attempted to govern the continually growing American states, delegates discovered that the limitations placed upon the central government rendered it ineffective at doing so . As the government's weaknesses became apparent, especially after Shays' Rebellion, individuals began asking for changes to the Articles . Their hope was to create a stronger national government . Initially, some states met to deal with their trade and economic problems . However, as more states became interested in meeting to change the Articles, a meeting was set in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787 . This became the Constitutional Convention . It was quickly realized that changes would not work, and instead the entire Articles needed to be replaced . On March 4, 1789, the government under the Articles was replaced with the federal government under the Constitution . The new Constitution provided for a much stronger federal government by establishing a chief executive (the President), courts, and taxing powers . </P> <P> The political push to increase cooperation among the then - loyal colonies began with the Albany Congress in 1754 and Benjamin Franklin's proposed Albany Plan, an inter-colonial collaboration to help solve mutual local problems . The Articles of Confederation would bear some resemblance to it . Over the next two decades, some of the basic concepts it addressed would strengthen and others would weaken, particularly the degree of deserved loyalty to the crown . With civil disobedience resulting in coercive, and what the colonials perceived as intolerable acts of Parliament, and armed conflict resulting in dissidents being proclaimed rebels and outside the King's protection, any loyalty remaining shifted toward independence and how to achieve it . In 1775, with events outpacing communications, the Second Continental Congress began acting as the provisional government that would run the American Revolutionary War and gain the colonies their collective independence . </P> <P> It was an era of constitution writing--most states were busy at the task--and leaders felt the new nation must have a written constitution, even though other nations did not . During the war, Congress exercised an unprecedented level of political, diplomatic, military and economic authority . It adopted trade restrictions, established and maintained an army, issued fiat money, created a military code and negotiated with foreign governments . </P>

Who held the most political power in the united states under the articles of confederation