Articles of Confederation and Constitution
Constitution addressed a number of complaints listed in the Declaration of Independence against Great Britain's King. In addition, the Constitution cured a number of weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation by giving powers, rights and divisions to the federal government, as well as providing a different method of amending the Constitution. At times, the Constitution was developed through compromises such as the Great Compromise, which set up our bicameral federal government and the manner of determining each state's representation in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Through these historical documents and others, we can see the ideas and development of the United States of America.
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How the Constitution addressed the Complaints in the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, finalized on July 4, 1776, was our announcement to Great Britain and to the world of our freedom from Great Britain. In the document's third section, the American colonists present a long list of specific complaints or grievances against Great Britain and particularly her King, explaining the reasons for our rejection of their rule over us (United States of America, 1776). The United States Constitution, ratified on March 4, 1789, addressed those specific complaints in its Articles and Bill of Rights (United States of America, 1789) to ensure that our government and our citizens would be free from those oppressive practices. For example, the Declaration of Independence states that the King forced the colonists to quarter British troops (United States of America, 1776); therefore, the Constitution's 3rd Amendment and its ban of using troops to carry out civilian law would prevent that practice in the United States of America. For another example, the Declaration of Independence complained that the King imposed taxes on the colonists without their consent (United States of America, 1776); therefore, the Constitution's Article I sets up the circumstances and process for taxation by Congress, preventing taxation without representation (United States of America, 1789). For a third example, the Declaration of Independence complained that the King repeatedly dissolved our representative houses (United States of America, 1776); therefore, the Constitution's Article I created our Congress and enumerated its powers in...
Confederation and Constitution The differences between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution of 1787 were significant. The former entrusted power to the individual states while the latter relinquished the majority of power to the central/federal government. This was evident in the way in which representation was established and legislation enacted. For example, under the Articles, Congress was unicameral -- that is, one house. Under the Constitution, Congress was bicameral, consisting
As a result, the Bill of Rights was implemented into the Constitution, to address the concerns of anti-federalists. While at the same time, it gave the federalists a strong central government that could adjust with: the various changes. This is significant, because it shows how the Constitution is a working document that seeks to provide a balance between: personal freedoms and the need to protect the nation. In many ways,
Male voters had to own property. Thus voting was still the province of land-holding elites rather than all the people under the rule of constitutional, national, and state law. The fact that Senators were appointed by the state legislature not only allocated more rights to the states as desired by Southerners, but also further filtered the popular voice, as expressed in the House of Representatives. The Electoral College system
The fact that arrested criminals are routinely read Miranda rights, informing them of their rights under the Fifth Amendment provides another example of a country concerned about justice. The framers included the phrases "insure domestic tranquility," "provide for the common defense," "promote the general welfare," and "secure the blessings of liberty" to make sure that the Federal government had the power to exercise general police powers and engage in warfare. Therefore,
The Virginia debates over ratification highlight two key issues which are still subject to debate today: the power of the state vs. The power of the government and whether more government enhances our liberties or suppresses them. Anti-federalists pointed to taxation by both state and federal bodies as an example of the "dangerous principles" that the constitution could represent (Graebner and Richards 143). Federalists in turn defended the document by
Each state and many banks eventually developed their own currencies, greatly complicating trade and issues of security, both through increased potential for fraud and a lack of reliable knowledge about the strength of a particular currency at any given time. These issues were seen as largely responsible for a series of financial crises in the nineteenth century, and even in part for the Great Depression. The establishment of a
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