Essay on Apush Constitution Vs

Angela Zhao
#6
Compare and contrast the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution. Adopted in 1781, the Articles of Confederation established the first national government for the United States, which lasted eight years, providing some stability during the Revolutionary War. Although it was successful at uniting all thirteen colonies, the Articles of Confederation gave a generous amount of power to the states, which left the federal government weak. Instead of achieving a strong, unified nation, the Articles of Confederation simply created a frail, loose confederacy between the states. People were so dissatisfied with the Articles of Confederation that they called for a completely new constitution and did not bother to revise or amend the Articles. The differences between the two documents largely outweigh the similarities as the U.S. Constitution created a system of checks and balances and a relatively stronger central government. The most dramatic change was the structure of the government and the power of the national government. A few of the major problems during the operation of the Articles of Confederation included the federal government’s inability to levy taxes, maintain a stable economy, create their own military, and settle conflicts between states. The best example is seen in Shay’s Rebellion and the Whiskey Rebellion. In 1786, Shay’s Rebellion was dealt with, not by the feeble federal government, but by an army gathered by the elite. After the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, however, George Washington was able to successfully quell the Whiskey Rebellion in 1791 by the army drafted by the national government. America’s large war debt and reckless taxation was the direct cause of Shay’s Rebellion. The Articles of Confederation gave the national government no power over taxation, but the Constitution on the other hand, allowed the federal government to tax and regulate trade. This allowed for the introduction of a common currency that replaced each state’s individual money system. Amendments to the Articles of Confederation required a unanimous vote and a 9/13 majority for a law to pass in Congress. This was not successful, so the Constitution wrote the Elastic Clause. It gave Congress the authority to pass any law that was “necessary or proper”, and is where much of the federal government’s power comes from. The federal government under the Articles had virtually no executive powers to

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