Essay constitution and the article of confederation

â€Å"The Constitution devotes the national domain to union, to justice, to defense, to welfare and to liberty† (Maier 154). This quote, stated by William Henry Seward, displays the strength and stability that the Constitution had over the nation, and the liberty and justice it supplied for all of its citizens. Although the Constitution and the Articles of Confederation have similarities, they have many differences, which proved that the Articles of Confederation were a weaker document in comparison. It can be said that the Articles were the â€Å"rough draft† to the final living document, which significantly influenced and â€Å"ruled† our government, as it still does today. Because of their experience with Great Britain, the 13 states feared a†¦show more content†¦On the other hand, the states bordering the frontier wanted to control as much land as they could. Eventually the states agreed to give control of all western lands to the federal government, paving the way for final ratification of the articles on March 1, 1781 (). There was no independent executive and no veto of legislation. â€Å"Judicial proceedings in each state were to be honored by all other states. The federal government had no judicial branch, and the only judicial authority Congress had was the power to arbitrate disputes between states. Congress was denied the power to levy taxes; the new federal government was financed by donations from the states based on the value of each states lands† (). In attempting to limit the power of the central government, the Second Continental Congress created one without sufficient power to govern effectively, which led to serious national and international problems. The greatest weakness of the federal government under the Articles of Confederation was its inability to regulate trade and levy taxes. â€Å"Sometimes the states refused to give the government the money it needed, and they engaged in tariff wars with one another, almost paralyzing interstate commerce† (). The government could not pay off the debts it had acquired during the revolution, including paying soldiers who had fought in the war and citizens who had provided supplies to the cause. Congress couldShow MoreRelatedThe Articles of Confederation and The Constitution1238 Words   |  5 Pagesgovernment has been defined by two very important documents. Reflecting on all governments of the past, they laid forth an impressive jumble of ideas that would lead the way to where we are today. These two documents are the Article of Confederation and the U.S Constitution. These two documents of precedent are both similar and unique, each with its own pros and cons, and neither being perfect. Both these documents addressed the prominent vital in national vs. state sovereignty, legislative selectionRead MoreThe Constitution And The Articles Of Confederation1373 Words   |  6 Pageswould enforce them? I will address some of the differences between the Constitution and The Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation were designed and formed from the thirteen states that created a Confederation known as the â€Å"league of friendship†; their goal was to find solutions for problems; and one of the first attempts to create a system. The Articles of Confederation was our nation’s first constitution; during the last years of the Revolutionary war, the government had beenRead MoreThe Articles Of Confederation And The Constitution921 Words   |  4 PagesConstitution and Articles Analysis The Articles of Confederation and The Constitution were both written I believe to ensue peace in a new nation where great freedoms had just been betrothed upon. Both written within ten years of each other, the main point it was trying to get across was the idea of one nation. They were written by the same people who all in all had similar ideas. There are many differences as well. From the main one being sovereign states, to how many states must approve an amendmentRead MoreThe Articles Of Confederation And The Constitution891 Words   |  4 Pages Throughout American history, many Americans assume that too much power is given to one party or the other. The Article of confederation was important in the United States because it affected the way over government functions today. Specifically, under the Article of confederation, the United States was intended to be formed on a basis of Federalism. Within this structure of Federalism, states have their own rights and majority of power with its people. The federal government on the other hand,Read MoreThe Articles Of Confederation And The Constitution1130 Words   |  5 Pages After America won its independence from Great Britain in 1783, the Articles of Confederation were created to serve as the basis of American democracy. Years subsequent to the creation of the Articles of Confederation, delegates from all states, with the exception of Rhode Island, assembled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to mend the weaknesses the Articles displayed throughout its practice. This meeting on Septe mber 17, 1787, resulted in the newly drafted terms for which the United States democracyRead MoreThe Articles Of Confederation And The Constitution1115 Words   |  5 PagesThe Articles of Confederation were the earliest constitution of the United States. After the United States became fully independent from Great Britain, following the Revolutionary War, the document was created to outline the functions and management of new nation. However, the document established a very weak central government, instead giving the power to the states. To correct the mistake, a new version of such a document was created: the Constitution, which is still in effect today. (Articles ofRead MoreThe Articles Of Confederation And The Constitution899 Words   |  4 PagesThe Constitution remains as relevant today as it did over two hundred years ago. Americans have lived their lives through the law of the Constitution of the United Staes of America for several years. The Constitution has kept our natio n together and has kept us strong. â€Å"The Constitution defines the United States of America. This greatest of American documents not only establishes our system of government; it limits the power of that government, specifying our irrevocable rights and privileges asRead MoreThe Articles Of Confederation And The Constitution2035 Words   |  9 Pagesmove forward and unite the thirteen states as a nation. It was then when Continental Congress met up in Pennsylvania and created a secured a document known as the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation was written on November 15, 1777, and ratified by all thirteen states on March 1, 1781. When the Articles of Confederation were written it had many goals in mind to set and preserve the country with all its freedoms, keeping America an independent nation. Since the states were comingRead MoreThe Constitution And The Articles Of Confederation953 Words   |  4 PagesThe first video â€Å"The Constitution Project† – creating a constitution of the founding fathers creating and signing the constitution. This is a large piece of history which because of them, the constitution and the articles of confederation are what make makes America what it is today, unified. The major learning theme of this video is to understanding what and how these states came together, taxation, laws, and the people behind it. George Was hington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison to name aRead MoreThe Articles Of Confederation And The Constitution1461 Words   |  6 PagesJesse Ghuman Jason Stratton US History B17 11/15/2015 The Articles of Confederation The first approved document of the United States was the Articles of Confederation. However, after a few years, the Bill of Rights replaced the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. The Articles began the Constitution but the articles had contained a lot of weaknesses so they had to create a new document. Few of the Article of Confederation goals were to bring the states together and establish a strong