Final answer:
The absence of a national judiciary under the Articles of Confederation led to difficulty in settling disputes between states and enforcing laws. The Constitutional Convention and subsequent Judiciary Act of 1789 remedied this by establishing the Supreme Court and creating lower federal courts to handle legal matters at a more local level.
Step-by-step explanation:
There was no national judiciary under the Articles of Confederation, which meant that there was no centralized court to handle disputes between the states. This was a significant issue because it hindered the central government's ability to enforce laws and settle interstate conflicts.
The Constitutional Convention recognized the need for an independent judiciary, leading to the creation of the Supreme Court through the Constitution. However, only the Supreme Court was established initially; it was not until the passage of the Judiciary Act of 1789 that lower federal courts were created to deal with legal matters more locally throughout the states.
Judiciary Act of 1789 and Its Impact
The Judiciary Act of 1789 established the structure and jurisdiction of the lower courts and set the number of justices on the Supreme Court. This act responded to concerns about the accessibility and familiarity of federal courts compared to state courts by creating federal courts in each state.
Debates over the division of powers between the central government and states have persisted throughout American history, notably during the early 1800s with disputes over issues like slavery and trade regulations.
The resolution of these conflicts often relied on state courts before the establishment of a coherent national judiciary. The importance of having a strong, centralized judiciary was highlighted by the inconsistencies and inefficiencies of the Articles of Confederation.