Preview

Constitutional Convention

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1257 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Constitutional Convention
Between the years 1765 and 1787, America had gone from British Colonies protesting against the British Parliament’s Stamp Act, to an independent Nation. During the Revolutionary War, Colonists wrote the Articles of Confederation, which acted as a set of rules and organized the government. Although the Articles of Confederation gave structure to the American government, it had ultimately set up America for failure as a thriving Nation. The states were given too much power and economic freedom in the Articles of Confederation, and were beginning to localize and feud with neighboring states, and the government had no independent source of income. Because America was no longer at War against Great Britain, the sense of equality in governmental power the Articles of Confederation brought to the states was no longer needed. What America needed was a new constitution, better fit for the independent Nation America had spent the past decade fighting for. In order to create a new and improved constitution, fifty-five Delegates from each state (except Rhode Island) met in Philadelphia to debate and then write what is now known as America’s Constitution. The Delegates’ varied experiences during the Revolutionary War and the four years following, under the Articles of Confederation, caused the Delegates’ opinions and fears to differ. This contrast of beliefs between the Northern state delegates, and the Southern state delegates founded the heated debates around representation in Congress. Under the Articles of Confederation,“each state [would] have one vote”(23) in congress. This Article was written to ensure that the states would feel that they had complete and equal control over the government. The writers of the Articles of Confederation feared a government similar to that of the British parliament would arise if the states and people living in them were not given any say in the government. This fear of tyranny caused America to go from “winning independence to overseeing

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The Articles of Confederation of 1781 produced the first endeavor of government structure. This attempt of forming a national and state government failed. Some of the issues that transpired from the constitution include: Each state only had one vote in Congress, regardless of state size; Congress did not have the powers to tax or regulate foreign or interstate commerce; There was not a recognized national court system or executive branch to enforce acts passed by Congress; While amendments to the Constitution required a unanimous vote, the passing of a law required a 9/13 vote. The lack of involvement of the national government allowed states to become self-governing and sovereign. States printed their own money that only had value within that territory which created a hindrance in trade and in turn produced an unstable economy. The national government having no enforcing authority and the United States of America was in a state of chaos. This generated an out lash from individuals.…

    • 780 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    On the heels of the revolutionary war and the failed attempt of a national government (The Articles of Confederation), the leaders of the United States set to make a stronger, centralized government, with dual sovereignty between the national government and the states. The rules of this governing body would be laid out in a document called the Constitution. Although most leaders supported the constitution they did not agree on many aspects of it. Out of the disagreement two groups emerged, the Federalist and the Anti-Federalist. The Federalist supported all aspects of the constitution and a larger national government, while the Anti-Federalist opposed ratifying the constitution and supported a smaller national government and more sovereignty to the states. This disagreement led to a fierce debate between the two groups that still resonates today. This essay will examine the primary…

    • 591 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    While the Articles of Confederation unified the American colonies for the first time, the individual states had a hard time allowing a central government to solely control their territory. Due to fear of an all powerful monarchy like the one they had experienced in England the colonies were wary of allowing a central government certain powers. These certain powers included control of commerce, ability to tax, and even the ability to act directly upon individual citizens of a state. While the Articles provided a loose confederation to unify the new country, they were only a temporary solution due to their obvious weaknesses in several areas. The Articles of Confederation were essentially ineffective in their ruling over the newly formed 13 states.…

    • 793 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    U.S Constitution DBQ

    • 1101 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Federal Government showed to be ineffective under the Articles of Confederation. The Government lacked power, with large state governments showing to be superior. The U.S Constitution proposed a new form of government. With the addition of three separate branches of government, being, legislative, executive, and judicial, the Constitution also created a stronger Federal Government, weakening state governments. As southern states with larger populations were against the ratification of the Constitution, northern states consisting of fewer, more wealthy people, supported it. Federalists and Antifederalists took sides, prompting debate over a solution to the issue. The writings of the U.S Constitution produced major concerns at the center of the Constitutional Convention as the future of America had to be written.…

    • 1101 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    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.…

    • 67 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    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.…

    • 1138 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    America is a young country in 1787. They have just won the war for their independence and are now under the new rule of the Articles of Confederation. This government is put in place to ensure that no one leader will have too much power. The newly formed nation still has the undesirable taste of monarchy in their mouth and are hesitant to enact some sort of executive power. The Articles rely on the committee’s to take care of that missing executive branch. Committee’s prove as weak during the period after the war as they did during war itself. The legislature and committee’s lack to enact major neccesties of a government proved it was time for a change. The authors make sure to point out the flaws of the articles of confederation.…

    • 1964 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Imagine oneself back at the constitutional convention in seventeen eighty-seven. All of the brightest minds and most respected people in one place, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the southeast of the state, near New York. Because it is May, and just beginning to be summer, it is hot, and because all the windows are closed in the interest of secrecy, it is stifling as well. Fifty-five well known thinkers of the age, all white males, have come. They range in age from James Madison, an up-and-comer and a prodigy who is twenty five to Benjamin Franklin, a wise, venerable, learned man who is eighty one. Delegates from eleven states are present, New Hampshire not turning up until July, and Rhode Island not at all, thinking to veto the proceedings by their absence. The problem that had caused these proceedings was that the Articles of Confederation, the current system of government was too weak. although the Northwest Ordinance resulted of it, and it fixed the fear of a strong central government and dominance by large states, there were unfair competition among states, unenforceable trade agreements, no power over states governments, no president, no judicial branch and the government could not pay debts because they could not force states to pay taxes. As the cons out-weighed the pros, it was clear that something had to be done. The framers decided to create a new government completely. The question was; How do we give the government the power it needs while preventing tyranny? This essay will address the many and varied was the constitution guards against tyranny. In this essay, the word tyranny refers to James Madison’s definition, which states, “The accumulation of all powers…in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many (is) the very definition of tyranny.” (James Madison, Federalist Paper #47, Hook Document). The constitution addresses tyranny in four main ways: the balance of powers between national and state…

    • 1740 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Constitution Paper

    • 985 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In this paper I will discuss how the Constitution addressed the weaknesses in the Article of Confederation, how the Constitution addressed the complaints in the Declaration of Independence, as well as speaking about the Great Compromise and how representation of states in Congress is determined. I will also go into some detail about the Bill of rights.…

    • 985 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Constitution DBQ

    • 1340 Words
    • 6 Pages

    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.…

    • 1340 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    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.…

    • 690 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    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.…

    • 1033 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The agenda of this convention started out with a draft that was presented by James Madison and his colleagues. This draft became known as the “Virginia Plan”. In this plan it was proposed that they scrape the articles of confederation in favor of a central government. Within this plan the power of each state would be reduced and the federal government would increase its power and control. Along with this draft another provision was introduced that caused quite a stir within the smaller populated states. A bicameral legislature with all seats portioned by population was proposed. Allowing this Senate to lead all foreign affairs, assemble a council of revisions that would have the power to veto both national and state legislation. James Madison, the “Distracting Question” in Philadelphia (1787). Faragher, Buhle, Czitrom & Armitage, (2009, p. 185)…

    • 359 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    When the 13 colonies along the Atlantic seaboard of North America declared independence, they had to create a new government. Because the colonies thought of themselves as separate, semi-sovereign entities – and because their experiences under British rule made them suspicious of centralized power – the government they created was a loose confederation of individual states. The national government under the Articles of Confederation had very little power; most power was retained by the individual states. Eventually, the weakness of the national government under the Articles led to their replacement with the current US Constitution. The delegates of the Constitutional Convention did not intend to make “great roads on the existing system” (70), but a constitutional revolution began when Edmund Randolph presented James Madison’s Virginia Plan. The talk of a brand new legislative branch and executive branch were in the making, and as John Adams would have said, “the delegates had ‘crossed the Rubicon’.” (70)…

    • 1103 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    With the Articles of Confederation, each state, no matter what size, got one vote when making important decisions. The delegates from large states were opposed to this idea and felt that they should have more votes since they had a larger population. If the votes were relative to the population, then the people in the larger states would have more say than if there is only one vote per state. The delegates from smaller states liked having one vote because they believed they were…

    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays