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Confederation Congress

Definition

The governing body that operated in the United States from 1781 to 1789 under the Articles of Confederation. It was a unicameral legislature with each state having one vote.

Analogy

Think of the Confederation Congress as a classroom where every student (state) has an equal say, regardless of their size or population. This might seem fair at first, but it can lead to problems when bigger states feel they should have more influence because they represent more people.

Related terms

Articles of Confederation: The first constitution of the United States, which created a weak central government and gave most powers to the states.

Unicameral Legislature: A type of legislature which consists of one house or assembly, in contrast to a bicameral legislature such as the U.S. Congress today.

Northwest Ordinance: An act passed by the Confederation Congress that set rules for creating new states and banned slavery in the territory north of Ohio River.