Question

Why was u.s. in debt after revolutionary war?

Answer 1

During the war, we had declared our independence and established the Articles of Confederation.  This document was weak and gave the states too many rights and no power to the national government.  There was no power to tax, no set currency, no executive.  We had an army, but no way to pay for it.  We owed money to the countries that helped us and to the colonists that fought in the war.  Shay's Rebellion proved how weak the Articles were.  Men came back from the war wanting to be paid for their time in the army.  Then the colonies wanted these farmers to pay taxes, we owed them money yet we were asking them for money.  This was a problem.

Answer 2

We owed money to the countries that helped us and to the colonists that fought in the war