The ARticles of Confederation were soley for the states' rights. The war of Independence had been fought and won, and no one wanted a single solitary govt to control them. Each state had their own constitution, their own army or militia, their own money or currency!!
No one wanted anyone or anything to be powerful enough over the whole Colonies like England had been, and had destroyed their freedoms that were due them from the English govt.
So the ARticles of Confederation were purposely made to be a weak federal presence. The federal govt under the Confederation could only ASK the states for things like financing or armies. It truly was a shell of a government.
But since it was a miserable failure, the powers of independence ( Washington, the Adamses, Jefferson, etc) wanted to make sure that the new country of freedom would not die a quick death.
So thankfully, they were adept enough to design a federal government to rule but with checks and balances, to exist to protect the people that it got its power from. Still today, if there's a big call or writing to some federal senators or congressmen about something the people don't like, those fed people really sit up and take notice, because they still understand that it's the people which give them their position and power.
In effect, the US