r half of the Mississippi River. “Many fruitless arguments passed between us; and tho’ he would admit that the only any thing to complain of; yet he would still insist that the Mississippi must be shut against us….”(Document F) Congress was unable to act to gain the use of the Mississippi, and it could only negotiate a treaty with Spain, but it was ineffective. During this “Critical Period”, the Articles of Confederation failed to provide the United States with an effective and powerful government. The American sense of unification began to dissolve compared to the colonists’ attitudes during the Revolutionary War. The states were divided separately into one nation, rather than unified into one nation. Each state, with its own interests, currency, and government debilitated economic progression. Congress had no authority to enforce recommendations, or to unify the states. Without the presence of a president or national court system, it became impossible to make necessary changes within the nation. If this young nation was to survive, the Articles of Confederation needed to be altered or replaced....
