<Li> Reaffirms that the Confederation accepts war debt incurred by Congress before the existence of the Articles . </Li> <Li> Declares that the Articles shall be perpetual, and may be altered only with the approval of Congress and the ratification of all the state legislatures . </Li> <P> Under the Articles, Congress had the authority to regulate and fund the Continental Army, but it lacked the power to compel the States to comply with requests for either troops or funding . This left the military vulnerable to inadequate funding, supplies, and even food . Further, although the Articles enabled the states to present a unified front when dealing with the European powers, as a tool to build a centralized war - making government, they were largely a failure; Historian Bruce Chadwick wrote: </P> <P> George Washington had been one of the very first proponents of a strong federal government . The army had nearly disbanded on several occasions during the winters of the war because of the weaknesses of the Continental Congress...The delegates could not draft soldiers and had to send requests for regular troops and militia to the states . Congress had the right to order the production and purchase of provisions for the soldiers, but could not force anyone to supply them, and the army nearly starved in several winters of war . </P>

Why did the articles of confederation need revision and why was the constitution written