Final answer:
Under the Articles of Confederation, soldiers like Joseph Plumb Martin often went unpaid for their service in the Continental Army due to the national government's inability to impose taxes and secure adequate funding from the states. This led to widespread dissatisfaction among veterans and would contribute to the later adoption of a stronger federal system under the U.S. Constitution.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the historical context of post-Revolutionary America, a soldier was often unable to receive any type of payment for his services, particularly in states like Georgia. This issue stemmed from the financial weakness of the national government under the Articles of Confederation, which relied on revenues from each state and could not impose taxes directly on citizens. Instead, the government could only request money from the states, which often failed to meet these requests, leaving the national government without the necessary funds to pay for national defense or fulfill other responsibilities, including compensating soldiers for their service.
Individuals like Joseph Plumb Martin and others who served in the Continental Army were commonly impacted by this situation. Despite their sacrifices and contribution to securing independence, many soldiers, including Martin, received little to no financial compensation. In many cases, soldiers were also denied their pension due to technicalities or lack of justification, exacerbating their economic struggles and leading to significant discontent. This dissatisfaction among veterans would later contribute to political divisions and sometimes even armed uprisings,
The struggles faced by soldiers and the national government's financial limitations highlight the systemic weaknesses of the United States under the Articles of Confederation. The lack of an effective taxation and revenue system ultimately contributed to the development of the U.S. Constitution, which sought to create a more robust federal structure capable of addressing such challenges.