In the book “A Brilliant Solution: Inventing the American Constitution” by Carol Berkin she explains the constitution from start to finish from how it all began, to the debates inside the convention and finally the end product. Berkin takes the reader and puts him directly in the middle of the convention of 1786; throughout the book you can feel the excitement, the frustration, the tensions between delegates and the overall commitment to making a new government work for all.…
At the Constitutional Convention, the Convention's resolutions on national legislative authority were particularized into a series of enumerated powers. This meant that under federal law these powers can only govern matters within the terms of some power-granting clause of the Constitution. By adding the Necessary and Proper Clause, the Founding Fathers set the criteria for laws that, may not necessarily be within the terms of other grants, serve to make other federal powers effective. The necessary and proper clause may grant power to congress if it is deemed to reinforce the great powers outlined in the enumerated powers.…
The Articles of Confederation was the first American constitution completed by the Continental Congress in 1777. The Articles of Confederation created a “firm league of friendship” between all 13 states. Each state agreed to send delegates to the Confederation Congress where each state will cast one vote in Congress. Under the Articles Congress had no possession over trade or passing laws regarding taxes. However, Congress can declare war, appoint military officers, coin money, and foreign affairs. Unfortunately, there were some downsides to the Articles of Confederation that people from all 13 states did not agree with or argued about it such things as alliance, passing laws, courts, money, and trade. (Davidson, 189)…
The Articles of Confederation is the original constitution of the United States. The Articles of Confederation has a unicameral legislature. All states have a single vote in the legislature. The Articles of…
As inevitable as the U.S. Constitution feels today as the foundation on which the United States of America and its political system are built, it was not the first document ratified by the former British colonies to establish a union. During the years of the American Revolutionary War and the years directly following it, the newly formed United States of America were essentially a collection of thirteen more or less sovereign states loosely held together in an alliance by the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union (Articles of Confederation). However, as a foundation for a functioning government, the Articles of Confederation were lacking, leaving the federal government essential powerless and unable to effectively execute the few powers explicitly bestowed upon it by the Articles. Fiscal issues and rebellion threaten to tear the young nation…
When the United States of America won its Independence from Great Britain in 1776 many Americans began to have fidelity to their states instead of their country. Diverse citizens opposed to have an influential government. As a result, to the independent views of Americans the document Articles of Confederation was proposed. It was established with the primary purpose to balance the differences between states. Over time, this document became inadequate to govern itself and protect…
The Constitution of the United States was written in 1787, yet there was a struggle for its ratification that went on until 1790. Members of Congress believed that the Articles of Confederation, the first government of the United States, needed to be altered while others did not want change. After the Revolutionary War, the people did not want a strong central government, because it reminded them too much of what they were trying to escape. Under the Articles, each state had their own laws, and the need for a new Constitution was desired by many. This desired Constitution created a huge dispute and an argument between people who wanted things to stay the way they were and people who urged to change the Articles.…
At the end of the American Revolution, the free states needed some sort of control that would generate to a unified country. Issues arose to how power should be divided between local and national governments, common laws or the protection of the unalienable individual rights. Their first attempt at solving this issue was the Articles of Confederation, which was a failure for the most part, but not completely as it formed a template for a new document. After the failure of the articles, the state delegates tried to revise the articles, but instead, constructed the Constitution. One of many distinction between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution is the creation of the legislature. Representation of one state, while disregarding the population of the state, angered many people. The Constitution is known today as the foundation of American government. But before its ratification, debates arose regarding several unresolved and problematic factors that the Articles of Confederation failed to come to a resolution. Under the Articles of Confederation, the states had far more power than did the federal government. As a result, when writing the Constitution, they sought to maintain balance between state and federal power in a way where it would benefit the nation, shifting the power to the federal government. Slavery was never mentioned in the articles, yet the North and the South began a dispute over its existence. Alongside the creation of legislature defining distinction between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution, the division of power between state and federal government and the existence and purpose of slavery are issues debated prior to the ratification of the Constitution.…
By late 1786, it was clear to the states that the Articles of Confederation could no longer provide for an adequate government, an essential function to promote the prosperity of the fledgling country. To fix this problem, delegates from all states except Rhode Island congregated in Philadelphia in an attempt to revise the Articles of Confederation. During the convention, the delegates had a variety of views on how the government should function, which led to lengthy and, at times, acrimonious debates. In the end, however, some kind of compromise would always be reached; then another issue would be brought about and the whole cycle repeats over and over again. Sleepless nights and smoke filled rooms followed one after another. Little did the…
The major compromises that were made at the Constitutional Convention were that both of the parties wanted to change the whole document instead of amending the articles. The issues that were settled at this time was creating the senate, and the house. The senate allowed represenation by state, and the house established repersentation by population. Most of the issues that remained unsettled were woman's rights and immigration.…
This is know as the Philadelphia Convention, in which Federalist and Antifederalist debated the laws that were to be written in the constitution. The arguments at this convention, proved just how divided the states were. For instance, Mr. Sherman from Connecticut, argued that the House of Representatives should not be elected by the people, but instead they should be elevated by the state's legislature, since he believed many citizens were uneducated. But, Mr. Mason from Virginia argued that instead of the legislature, the democratic principle was to allow an election of branch by the people, agreeing with Mr. Wilson, from Pennsylvania's statement that, “No government could long subsist without the confidence of the people.” (The Confederation and the Constitution, 166). Many states alongside Connecticut agreed that citizens shouldn’t have the right to appoint people into the House of Representatives, but American citizens who are registered voters have the right to vote for their…
Answer: The purpose of the Articles of Confederation was to create a confederation of states whereby each state retained "its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right . . . not . . . expressly delegated to the United States in Congress assembled." In other words, every state was as independent as possible with the United States only responsible for the common defense, security of liberties, and the general welfare. To this effect, the Articles were purposely written to keep the national government as weak as possible. However, there were many problems that soon became apparent as the Articles took effect.…
Following the success of the colonists in the American Revolution and gaining their independence from Great Britain, the colonists achieved what they most certainly sought after—to separate from Britain and never again experience the horrific tyrannical ways of King George III. This is because the colonists feared tyranny and believed that having the power vested in one ruler is not such a good form of government. Thus, the Framers formed their first ever constitution—the Articles of Confederation. However, the Articles proved to be very weak because it did not have a strong central government. It did not have a tax base, a judiciary, and executive branch. In order to fix the problems under the Articles, specifically the dilemma regarding representation, taxation, and slavery issue within the states, the Constitutional Convention took place. These disputes did not only create a problem but they also caused a division between the states. The colonists did not know how great and substantial the issue with representation, taxation, and slavery would affect them, but as they came together and attempted to resolve the problem, they brought forth compromises that would have a lasting influence in the United States.…
After having won their independence from Great Britain in 1781, the nation of America put into action the first constitution of the United States of America, the Articles of Confederation. This constitution ultimately failed as it did not give congress and the national government enough power to govern over the people of America. After much debate, a Constitutional Convention was called to reconsider “the situation of the United States”, and ended up ratified a new constitution in the hope of bringing back America which was falling apart.…
The Constitution of the United States was written in 1787, yet there was a struggle for its ratification that went on until 1790. Members of Congress believed that the Articles of Confederation, the first government of the United States, needed to be altered while others did not want change. After the Revolutionary War, there was a need for strong state centered governments, rather than a strong central government based on their experience as a colony. However, an investigation of the historical record reveals that the Articles of Confederation were not meeting the needs of Americans, and the need for a new Constitution was desired. This desired Constitution created a huge dispute and argument between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists.…