While the war lasted, a sense of danger bound together the people of the different states.

But as soon as this peril ceased, their old jealousies and self-seekings came back.
There was no national government to smooth over these differences and to compel the states to act justly toward one another.

There was, indeed, the Congress of the Confederation, but it is absurd to speak of it as a national government.
[Sidenote: Formation of the Articles of Confederation.] [Sidenote: Weakness of the Confederation.

_McMaster_, 163.] 168.

The Articles of Confederation, 1781 .-- The Continental Congress began drawing up the Articles of Confederation in June, 1776.