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Under the Articles of Confederation, which was the first constitution of the United States, Congress functioned as the single branch of the national government, but it had limited powers. Here are some key points regarding the functioning of Congress in this period:
1. Unicameral Legislature : Unlike the current system which has a bicameral legislature (House of Representatives and Senate), under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was unicameral, meaning there was only one legislative body.
2. State Representation : Each of the 13 states had one vote in Congress, regardless of their size or population.
3. Limited Powers : Congress had certain powers such as making treaties, conducting foreign policy, and declaring war. However, it did not have the power to levy taxes or regulate commerce between the states, which significantly limited its effectiveness.
4. No Executive or Judicial Branches : There were no separate executive or judicial branches to enforce or interpret the laws passed by Congress. This meant Congress lacked strong leadership and a means to resolve disputes or enforce laws.
5. Majority and Supermajority : For most decisions, Congress needed the approval of a majority of the states to act. However, for important decisions such as amending the Articles, a supermajority (in this case, agreement of all thirteen states) was required.
6. State Cooperation Required : Because Congress lacked the power to enforce its decisions, it relied heavily on voluntary compliance by the states. This often led to ineffective governance as states could simply choose not to follow certain directives.
7. Conducting War and Foreign Relations : One of the main functions Congress had under the Articles was managing the Revolutionary War effort and conducting diplomacy with other nations.
The Articles of Confederation thus created a Congress that was meant to unite the states in a "firm league of friendship," but the reality was a weak central government that struggled to function effectively because of its significant limitations and dependence on state cooperation