Under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government had limited powers and authority, so the options available for the federal government to help in the scenario where Maine was attacked and invaded by New Hampshire would be quite constrained.
1. Call up the federal military to force the New Hampshire militia to retreat: The federal government did not have its own standing army under the Articles of Confederation. It could request the states to provide troops, but each state had the choice to fulfill that request or not. Therefore, it would be difficult for the federal government to assemble a military force capable of intervening in the situation.
2. Ask the states to help, but the states could choose not to assist: As mentioned earlier, the federal government could request assistance from the states, but it had no power to compel them to provide military support. Each state retained its own sovereignty and could decide whether or not to assist Maine.
3. Order the New Hampshire militia to stand down and return home: The federal government did not possess the authority to directly order state militias. State militias were under the control of their respective state governments and were not subject to the direct authority of the federal government.
4. Raise taxes to punish New Hampshire for the attack: The federal government had limited powers to raise revenue under the Articles of Confederation, and raising taxes required the unanimous consent of all thirteen states. Therefore, it would be highly unlikely that the federal government could raise taxes specifically to punish New Hampshire for the attack.
In summary, under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government had minimal ability to intervene in such a scenario. It could request assistance from the states, but the states had the choice to assist or not. The federal government did not possess the power to call up a military or directly command state militias. Additionally, raising taxes to punish the attacking state would require unanimous consent from all states, which was challenging to achieve.
Under the Articles of Confederation, if Maine was attacked and invaded by New Hampshire, what could the federal government do to help?
Call up the federal military to force the New Hampshire militia to retreat.
Ask the states to help, but the states could choose not to assist.
Order the New Hampshire militia to stand down and return home.
Raise taxes to punish New Hampshire for the attack.
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