In 1781, the Continental Congress ratified a weaker version of the Articles of Confederation. The ratification put all of the thirteen states under one central government. The Articles reserved to each state “it’s sovereignty, freedom, and independence” and established a government in which Americans were citizens of their own states first and then of the United States second. By the creation of this central government, it essentially possessed vast powers that were inferior to the states and created a weak government that was ineffective and inefficient. As it is stated in Document A, the Rhode Island Assembly rejected Congress' proposal to impos