Isabella Carter
The US Constitution was created and adopted in fulfillment of the American Revolution, with the aim of strengthening the federal government. During the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress became a quasi-government, issuing paper currency to finance the war. The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers and the ability to regulate commerce. This led to disputes between the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade, threatening to tear the young country apart. Nationalists, led by James Madison, George Washington, and Alexander Hamilton, worked towards revising the Articles of Confederation and creating a stronger central government. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in 1787, resulting in the creation of a new constitution with a system of checks and balances, dividing power between the state and federal governments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation | No enforcement powers, unable to regulate commerce, print money, or conduct foreign policy |
| Issues arising from the Revolutionary War | Payment of debts, local rebellions, disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade |
| Goals of the Constitution | Strengthen the federal government, create a central authority, establish checks and balances, protect rights of minorities |
| Key Figures | James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson |
| Timeline | 1775: Benjamin Franklin proposes a united colonial confederation; 1783: End of the Revolutionary War; 1786: Rebellion in Massachusetts; 1787: Constitutional Convention assembles; 1789: Constitution ratified |
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What You'll Learn
The Articles of Confederation
The final draft of the Articles of Confederation was completed on November 15, 1777, and submitted to the states for ratification in late November 1777. The document established a league of friendship for the 13 sovereign and independent states, with each state retaining "every Power...which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States." It outlined a Congress with representation not based on population – each state would have one vote. Ratification by all 13 states was necessary to set the Confederation into motion. Virginia was the first state to ratify, on December 16, 1777, and by February 1779, 12 states had ratified the Articles. Maryland was the last state to ratify the Articles on March 1, 1781, after which the Congress of the Confederation came into being.
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Divisions among states
Divisions among the states threatened to destroy the fruits of the American Revolution. The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money. This led to states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade.
The Continental Congress issued paper currency, called "Continentals," to finance the Revolutionary War. These notes were not backed by gold or silver but by the "anticipation" of tax revenues. They were easily counterfeited and quickly lost their value. After the war, Congress and state governments continued to produce money, contributing to what Madison referred to as the "mortal diseases" of the government under the Articles of Confederation. This resulted in calls for a new federal constitution to strengthen the national government.
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention created a model of government that relied on a series of checks and balances by dividing federal authority between the Legislative, Judicial, and Executive branches. The framers of the Constitution expected the Senate to handle important issues, particularly the ratification of treaties, while the Executive would attend to matters of lesser consequence.
The American Revolution, also known as the U.S. War of Independence, was an insurrection fought between 1775 and 1783. Thirteen of Great Britain's North American colonies threw off British rule and established the United States of America, founded with the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The war was, in part, a civil conflict between American Patriots, Loyalists, and those who remained neutral. Divisions within America were indicated by battles fought between Patriots and Loyalists with no British involvement, leading to divisions that continued after independence.
The first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts, where thousands of volunteers, known as "Minute Men," converged. The British Parliament's Coercive Acts, often called the Intolerable Acts in America, closed the port of Boston and required British troops to be housed in taverns and vacant buildings, generating considerable sympathy for Massachusetts among other colonies.
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A weak central government
The United States Constitution was preceded by the Articles of Confederation, which served as the country's first constitution. The Articles of Confederation established a weak central government, with almost all power vested in individual state legislatures and very little in the national government.
The Articles of Confederation were written and ratified during the Revolutionary War, as political leaders recognised the advantages of a centralised government that could coordinate the war effort. However, the Articles of Confederation were a flawed compromise, and the lack of power at the national level soon led to political chaos and crippling debt. The national government was unable to prevent states from conducting their own foreign diplomacy, regulate commerce, print money, or enforce laws that individual states found counter to their interests. This resulted in divisions among the states and local rebellions, such as Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts, which threatened to destroy the fruits of the Revolution.
The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation became increasingly apparent once the rationale of wartime necessity was removed after the Revolutionary War. The inability of the central government to address economic issues, such as the high duties imposed by each state on interstate trade, led to economic anxiety and Congress was blamed for failing to foster a stronger economy. The weak central government also hindered diplomacy, as it was unable to prevent the landing of convicts exported by the British Government to its former colonies.
The failures of the Articles of Confederation convinced national leaders that a more powerful central government was needed. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, among others, feared that their young country was on the brink of collapse and worked towards strengthening the federal government. They turned a series of regional commercial conferences into a national constitutional convention in Philadelphia in 1787, which led to the drafting of a new Constitution grounded in federalism, or the separation of powers between the state and federal governments.
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The need for a strong national government
The Revolutionary War brought to light the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which served as the first constitution of the United States. The Articles of Confederation created a loose confederation between the new states, establishing a weak central government with limited authority and no enforcement powers. It couldn't regulate commerce, print money, or enforce laws that individual states found counter to their interests.
As a result, the states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart. Local rebellions and divisions among the states further highlighted the need for a stronger national government. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, along with other nationalists, worked towards strengthening the federal government. They believed that a powerful central government was necessary to prevent local uprisings and to unify the country.
The Constitutional Convention, which assembled in Philadelphia in 1787, was a pivotal moment in the creation of a stronger national government. The delegates to the convention, representing diverse interests and views, crafted a new model of government that divided federal authority between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches, creating a system of checks and balances. They recognised the need for a strong executive branch to efficiently handle routine paperwork and manage foreign affairs.
The Constitution, signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787, established a powerful central government. It skilfully balanced state and federal powers, ensuring that the national government had the authority to make and enforce laws, regulate commerce, and address the challenges facing the young nation. The creation and adoption of the Constitution were seen as a fulfillment of the American Revolution, solidifying the need for a strong national government to secure the country's future.
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The influence of Enlightenment ideas
The American Revolution was underpinned by Enlightenment ideas, with the colonists believing that their natural rights were being infringed upon by British rule. This led to their quest for independence, as outlined in the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution, drafted a few years after the Revolutionary War, was thus heavily influenced by these Enlightenment ideals.
The Founding Fathers, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin, were profoundly engaged with Enlightenment ideas, which shaped the ideological and structural framework of the American form of governance. The Constitution embodies the Enlightenment quest for reason, justice, and the intrinsic rights of individuals.
One of the most notable influences of Enlightenment ideas on the Constitution is the concept of popular sovereignty, which asserts that power rests not with a monarch or an elite group but with the people. This philosophy is reflected in the process of regular elections, where citizens can directly influence their government by selecting their leaders. The Constitution also ensures a dynamic and continually evolving representation of the people's needs and aspirations through these regular elections.
Another key Enlightenment principle that influenced the Constitution is the idea of natural rights, as proposed by John Locke. According to Locke, individuals inherently possess certain rights, such as life, liberty, and property, which are not granted by governments but are intrinsic to human existence. The role of the government, as outlined in the Constitution, is to protect these natural rights.
The system of checks and balances in the Constitution is also a reflection of Enlightenment principles. Influenced by Montesquieu's writings, this system divides government authority among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, preventing any one branch from dominating the others and protecting individual liberties. This interdependency creates a dynamic and resilient political structure that prioritises balanced governance.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution was a response to the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution. The Articles of Confederation gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn’t regulate commerce, or print money.
The Revolutionary War led to the Continental Congress essentially becoming a quasi-government. The Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, which created a loose confederation between the new “states”. However, the Articles of Confederation led to divisions among the states and local rebellions, threatening to destroy the fruits of the Revolution. This led to calls for a new federal constitution to strengthen the national government.
The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government with limited authority, whereas the Constitution divided power between the state and federal governments, creating a powerful central government. The Constitution also created a model of government that relied on a series of checks and balances by dividing federal authority between the Legislative, the Judicial, and the Executive branches.
