Final answer:
The Constitution created a stronger central government compared to the Articles of Confederation, establishing a federal system with expanded powers for the central government and mechanisms to balance state sovereignty.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Constitution improved on the Articles of Confederation by creating a stronger central government rather than a unitary government, to address the issues that arose under the previous system. The Articles of Confederation had created a weak central government that was largely subordinate to the states, which proved ineffective in dealing with national challenges such as debt, trade, and internal unrest. In contrast, the U.S. Constitution established a federal system in which the central government was granted significantly more power while still recognizing the sovereignty of individual states.
This new system of government aimed to balance the vulnerabilities of the Confederation by setting up various institutions to wield federal authority, such as a bicameral legislature (Senate and House of Representatives), an executive led by a President, and a judiciary. The Constitution allowed the federal government to tax, regulate commerce, maintain a military, and enact laws necessary and proper to execute its responsibilities. The resulting framework provided a way to maintain unity among states while creating a more effective national governance structure.