Under the Articles of Confederation, America was divided. Each of the thirteen states was sovereign. They had the sole power to establish their own currency, raise an army, and “make treaties and make war and peace” under certain circumstances. (Boorstin, 73) The problem with each state having the ability to issue its own currency, was that “No one knew exactly how much a New York dollar was worth, compared to one from Pennsylvania or Rhode Island. The more money there was, the less a dollar bought. For five long years after 1784 there was the worst economic depression the colonies had ever suffered. It was one of the longest and deepest depressions in all of American history." (Boorstin, 75) Due to inflation, none of the US currencies were equal. This further separated the country. When Shays' rebellion began, there was no army to stop the riots. The ability of individual states to ensure peace or war could very well cause states to turn against each other, killing the concept of the United States. This proved problematic. How could thirteen autonomous states become one and maintain the same freedoms they boasted of? They couldn't. This is why fifty-five delegates from twelve states met in the summer of 1787 at Independence Hall to write the Constitution that would protect the common interests of the United States and allow each state to make independent decisions about its own daily affairs. . (Boorstin, 75) Americans chose the Constitutional Orders (1787-89) because they wanted a national government that could tax, defend liberty, and regulate commerce. All this was unattainable under the articles. A nation could not prosper when... in the middle of the paper... commerce was controlled by the government. “In summary, the clause was drafted to grant Congress the power to frame a coherent national trade policy, to restore and maintain vital commerce between the States, and to prevent war between the states.” (Constitution Society) These three points are the reasons why America rejected the articles of the Constitution. Works Cited Schweikart, Larry and Michael Allen. The story of a United States patriot. New York: Penguin Group, 2004. Print.Boorstin, Daniel J. The Fundamental History of the American People from Plymouth to Appomattox. New York: Random House, 1968. Print.Bork, Robert H. and Daniel E. Troy. “Locating the Boundaries: The Scope of Congress's Power to Regulate Commerce.” Index. Constitution Society, April 10, 2002. Web. October 14, 2011. The Constitution of the United States of America