According to our text, the Articles of confederation experienced multiple problems. The main problems with the articles were that the articles failed to include power to tax, authority to train armies, the power to adjudicate law cases, and the power to repel invasions. This is acknowledged as the weakness of the central government, having neither enforcement powers and judiciary authority, hence making governing in this regime impossible. These shortcomings led to the constitutional convention of 1787, which authorized various powers to the central government which the Articles of Confederation had failed to do. The constitution took advantage of creating relationships between the states. Actually, in the Articles of Confederation, there was no effective policy, nor army, to secure the federation, except what had been agreed by the states to contribute towards a specific military cause (Jonsen, 2004).
Another problem experienced by the government under the Articles of confederation was that revolutionary soldiers were not paid bonuses as well as the back pay promised to them for redeeming bonds to finance wars.
Differences between the Government under the constitution and the articles of confederation
The Articles of Confederation was more of a treaty compared to a real governmental framework. The articles proved to be a weak body with limited powers. Upon the introduction of our constitution, a much stronger governing body was created with a federal government run by presidential offices, Congress and countrywide judges (Madison, 1787).
According to the Articles of Confederation, each state had sent members to a congress which was a single judiciary house without powers to force the states to act according to their wishes. When the government under the Constitution was introduced, to be effective, its writers compromised heavily by finally coming up with two different houses of Congress, with a high amount of powers still staying with the States. Additionally, in the Articles of the Confederation, there was no interstate body, causing each individual state to enact laws to settle or reconcile their own disputes. On the other hand, the Constitution's authors came up with the idea of forming a strong federal or central government with various powers such as the right to tax, raise armies and also control domestic and international trade.
ReferencesJonsen, M.( 2004). The article of Confederation: An interpretation of the social-constitutional History of the American Revolution, 1787. Univ of Wisconsin Press.
Madison, J. (1787). Federalist no. 10. November, 22(1787), 1787-88.
Keene, J., Cornell, S., & E. O’Donnell (2013). Visions of America a history of the U.S. (2nd ed) Boston: MA. Pearson
The first set of laws in the United States were the Articles of Confederation, which were drafted and approved by the Continental Congress in November 1777. These rules were loosely based on how the government had been functioning for two years. The biggest weakness with the document was that it did not provide a strong branch of government to enforce it.
The Articles of Confederation were ratified by all the states by 1781, two years before Great Britain conceded defeat in the Revolutionary War. The Articles gave Congress control over international relations, printing money, and resolving disputes between states. Congress was also responsible for the formation of the Continental Army. But the central government was limited in its power and could not force states to comply with requests for soldiers. Each state was in charge of its own militia.
Congress operated as one governmental body back then, as there was no senate, executive or judicial branch. At the time, each state had one vote when it came to federal legislation. Nine out of thirteen states were required to pass a law affecting all states. Additionally, it took unanimous consent among the states to change any of the Articles.
One of the most significant weaknesses of the Articles was that they did not call for any method of collecting taxes or other revenue. Congress could only ask states to provide the money to operate a government. Consequently, the central government went bankrupt in 1780.
The United States Constitution strengthened the central government is several ways. Three branches of government were established, and congress was granted the power to tax and make laws affecting interstate trade. Prior to the Constitution, states were allowed to create their own currency. The Constitution clarified a stronger central government and monetary system.
Federalists such as George Washington, John Adams and Alexander Hamilton believed in a strong federal government, whereas Republicans such as Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe believed in minimal federal powers, with much of government rule-making given to the states.
https://www.history.com/topics/early-us/federalist-party
https://www.ushistory.org/us/14b.asp
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