Why was the articles of confederation constructed as they were?

The Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States, on November 15, 1777. ... The Articles created a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments.

a phrase from a poem by ralph waldo emerson about the battle of lexington and concord. emerson's words read, “here once the embattled farmers stood / and fired the shot heard round the world.”