How were the Articles of Confederation structured?

The Articles of Confederation were drafted by a committee of the Second Continental Congress in 1776 and were later ratified by all the states. Each of the 13 states had one vote in the Congress of the Confederation and could send 2 to 7 delegates to the Congress. The delegates were chosen by state legislatures. The federal government under the Articles of Confederation had no executive, and its powers included the ability to declare war and conduct foreign relations. The states, not the federal government, were required to keep well-maintained militias, and the state legislatures were responsible for raising money for the use of the federal government. This system led to a weak federal government that was constantly strapped for funds, as the federal government could not tax people and was reliant on state funds that often did not arrive or that arrived late. In addition, the lack of one chief executive made it difficult for the U.S. to conduct foreign affairs. The Articles were replaced by the Constitution in 1789.