▁and ▁red ist ributed ▁their ▁lands . ▁ ▁Ind ividual ▁state ▁legisl atures ▁independently ▁laid ▁embargo es , ▁negoti ated ▁directly ▁with ▁foreign ▁authorities , ▁raised ▁arm ies , ▁and ▁made ▁war , ▁all ▁viol ating ▁the ▁letter ▁and ▁the ▁spirit ▁of ▁the ▁Articles . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 7 8 6 , ▁during ▁an ▁inter – state ▁convention ▁to ▁discuss ▁and ▁develop ▁a ▁cons ensus ▁about ▁revers ing ▁the ▁protection ist ▁trade ▁bar riers ▁that ▁each ▁state ▁had ▁ere cted , ▁James ▁Mad ison ▁an gr ily ▁question ed ▁whether ▁the ▁Articles ▁of ▁Confeder ation ▁was ▁a ▁binding ▁compact ▁or ▁even ▁a ▁vi able ▁government . ▁Connecticut ▁paid ▁nothing ▁and ▁" pos it ively ▁refused " ▁to ▁pay ▁U . S . ▁assess ments ▁for ▁two ▁years . ▁A ▁rum or ▁had ▁it ▁that ▁a ▁" s edit ious ▁party " ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁legisl ators ▁had ▁opened ▁a ▁conversation ▁with ▁the ▁Vic ero y ▁of ▁Canada . ▁To ▁the ▁south , ▁the ▁British ▁were ▁said ▁to ▁be ▁open ly ▁fund ing ▁Creek ▁Indian ▁ra ids ▁on ▁Georgia , ▁and ▁the ▁state ▁was ▁under ▁mart ial ▁law . ▁Additionally , ▁during ▁Sh ays ' ▁Reb ell ion ▁( August ▁ 1 7 8 6 ▁– ▁June ▁ 1 7 8 7 ) ▁in ▁Massachusetts , ▁Congress ▁could ▁provide ▁no ▁money ▁to ▁support ▁an ▁end anger ed ▁constitu ent ▁state . ▁ ▁General ▁Benjamin ▁Lincoln ▁was ▁obliged ▁to ▁raise ▁funds ▁from ▁Boston ▁mer ch ants ▁to ▁pay ▁for ▁a ▁volunte er ▁army