Five reasons why the Articles of Confederation failed:
a. Weak central government with limited powers
b. Inability to levy taxes or regulate commerce
c. No executive branch to enforce laws
d. No judicial branch to interpret laws
e. Difficulty in passing laws due to the requirement of unanimous consent from all 13 states
Some of the challenges faced by the new nation included economic instability, disputes with Native American tribes, and ongoing tensions with Great Britain and other European powers.
The new plan of government was called the United States Constitution.
The new government went about paying bills by issuing paper money and borrowing from foreign governments. This system did not work well, as it led to inflation and a lack of faith in the government's ability to repay its debts.
George Washington played a significant role in resolving these issues by serving as the presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention and using his influence to support the adoption of the new Constitution.
The new plan was called the Constitution of the United States.
The Virginia Plan was proposed by James Madison and called for a strong central government with three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
James Madison's new plan proposed a bicameral legislature with representation based on population in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate. The plan also included a strong executive branch and an independent judiciary.
James Madison had a gift for political theory and was one of the leading architects of the new Constitution.
The three branches of government are: a. Legislative - makes laws b. Executive - enforces laws c. Judicial - interprets laws
The Great Compromise involved splitting the legislative branch into two bodies: the House of Representatives, which would be based on population, and the Senate, which would have equal representation for each state.
September 17, 1787, is the date that the Constitution was signed by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
Ratified means to officially approve or adopt a document or treaty.
The diagram "checks and balances" shows how each branch of government has the power to limit or check the powers of the other branches. For example, the executive branch can veto laws passed by Congress, but Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds vote.
George Mason refused to sign the first draft of the Constitution because it did not include a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties.
The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution, which outline specific rights and freedoms of American citizens. They are as follows:
Amendment 1 - Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition Amendment 2 - Right to bear arms Amendment 3 - Protection against quartering of troops Amendment 4 - Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures Amendment 5 - Right to due process of law, protection against self-incrimination, and protection against double jeopardy Amendment 6 - Right to a fair and speedy trial, to be informed of charges, to confront witnesses, and to have legal counsel Amendment 7 - Right to a trial by jury in civil cases Amendment 8 - Protection against excessive bail and fines, and cruel and unusual punishment Amendment 9 - Protection of unenumerated rights retained by the people Amendment 10 - Powers not delegated to the federal government or prohibited to the states are reserved to the states or the people
The issue of slavery was handled in the Constitution through the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted each slave as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of determining representation in the House of Representatives. The Constitution also included provisions for the return of runaway slaves.