1. The nature of the government formed. The government was that of a “confederation of states,” each retaining its sovereignty and independence.  The union was declared to be a “firm league of friendship.”  It was to be perpetual.

2. The branches of government. Only one was provided for, a congress.  No provision was made for executive or judicial officers apart from the congress itself.

3. The structure of the congress. The congress consisted of only one house or chamber.  Members were elected for one year, subject to recall at any time, and they were paid by their respective states.  No person was eligible to membership for more than three years in any period of six years.  No state could be represented by “less than two, nor more than seven members.”  Each state had one vote.

4. The powers of congress. “The United States in congress assembled” had power to treat with foreign countries, to send and receive ambassadors, to determine peace and war.  Congress was the last resort on appeal in all disputes between the states; could fix the standard of weights and measures, and of the fineness of coin; could establish and regulate postoffices; could ascertain and appropriate “the necessary sums of money to be raised for the service of the United States;” could borrow money “on the credit of the United States;” could agree upon the number of land forces and make requisition on each state for its quota; and could appoint a committee consisting of one member from each state, to sit during the vacations of congress.

5. Powers denied to the states. No state could enter into any treaty with another state or with a foreign nation, nor engage in war, except by consent of “the United States in congress assembled;” nor keep vessels of war or a standing army in time of peace, except such number as congress should deem necessary.

Reasons for the peculiarities.—­Suffering breeds caution.  Every one of the peculiarities was based upon distrust.

The people were afraid to trust their delegates.  This is manifest in the shortness of the term, the provision for recall, the reserved right to control the delegates by controlling their pay, and the limitation as to service.

The states were afraid of each other, especially were the small states distrustful of the large ones.  This is evidenced in the provision that each state should have one vote.  By this arrangement the states had equal power in the congress.

The people and the states were afraid of the general government.  A central government was a necessity, but it was given only very limited powers.  The people would not have an executive officer, because they feared anything resembling kingly rule.  They did not dare to establish a national judiciary having jurisdiction over persons and property, because their experience with “trials beyond the sea” had made them wary of outside tribunals.