More Subjects
The Writing And Adopting Of The Constitution Resarch Paper Subjects
The Writing and adopting of the Constitution
Class Section
Your Name
How did the articles and Amendments together define the functions and limits of the Constitutional Government the Convention created?
The War of Independence laid the basis for a united constitution for the thirteen states. This was the time when the thirteen states came close together to form the first ever constitution in the history of the United States. The Continental Congress, therefore, created a committee to draft the outlines for the constitution of America. The first draft was presented in front of the Continental Congress in the next year. This draft was prepared by John Dickinson. After when the continental Congress has a thorough session of debate on this draft, the draft was then forwarded to the States for Ratification. This was unlike the present day, and all the thirteen colonies had to ratify the constitution separately. This was the reason that in 1781, the constitution was finally ratified by the constitutional congress ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"2M87mtCE","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Bancroft)","plainCitation":"(Bancroft)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":312,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/LANFNNWV"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/LANFNNWV"],"itemData":{"id":312,"type":"book","title":"History of the Formation of the Constitution of the United States of America","publisher":"D. Appleton","volume":"1","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Bancroft","given":"George"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["1885"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Bancroft).
According to the Articles of Confederation, the functions and limits of the government were all centered in Congress. At that time, Congress was known as "the Congress of Confederation”. At that time the Congress was unicameral, and all state represented in the Conges had just one vote. It was mentioned in the articles that what exactly are the limits of the government. The Congress had all the authority of appointing the number of delegates, increasing or decreasing the number of delegates in the Congress appointed by the states and to also define the term of the Congress ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"rc4LUpHC","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Jensen)","plainCitation":"(Jensen)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":309,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/KKEE8XNC"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/KKEE8XNC"],"itemData":{"id":309,"type":"book","title":"The Articles of Confederation: An interpretation of the social-constitutional history of the American Revolution 1774-1781","publisher":"Univ of Wisconsin Press","volume":"12","source":"Google Scholar","shortTitle":"The Articles of Confederation","author":[{"family":"Jensen","given":"Merrill"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["1970"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Jensen). Congress at that time provided protection to the members from arrest and that is how it was made sure that all representatives of governments are there to work on the important matters related to the government. They were protected from arrest under the clause of speech and debate. The government of today also practice this clause. Congress also signed a provision that resulted in the creation of a committee of delegates to meet if Congress is not in the session.
At that time the Congress had the authority to debate over the boundary issues between the states. The government that was leading the thirteen colonies did not have the Say in resolving the disputes that arose between the states. Unlike the practice of today’s government that involved the creation of judiciary, at the time of the reign of the continental congress, there was no such authority with the government ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"krPYbKZ4","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Dougherty)","plainCitation":"(Dougherty)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":308,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/9FEJMJSW"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/9FEJMJSW"],"itemData":{"id":308,"type":"book","title":"Collective action under the Articles of Confederation","publisher":"Cambridge University Press","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Dougherty","given":"Keith L."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2006"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Dougherty). The judges were appointed by the Congress, and the government was kept away majorly from all this process. After the ratification of the articles of confederation, in 1781, Congress started to appoint an individual who will then serve as the President of the Congress for a term of one year.
As like the practice of the current government, enlisted in the constitution of the United States of America, the free inhabitants were to be provided every facility from the State. This was first envisioned in the Articles of the Confirmation, which still is being practiced. The articles of the Confederation and the current constitution of the United States both enlisted that the property and each material right of the citizens of the United States will be protected by the government of the United States. One other responsibility that was provided to the government under the articles of the Confederation and also by the present constitution of the United States was the free movement of citizens ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"ftUmp3Og","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Bancroft)","plainCitation":"(Bancroft)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":312,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/LANFNNWV"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/LANFNNWV"],"itemData":{"id":312,"type":"book","title":"History of the Formation of the Constitution of the United States of America","publisher":"D. Appleton","volume":"1","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Bancroft","given":"George"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["1885"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Bancroft). Each and every individual in the United States and the thirteen colonies were allowed to move freely, without requiring any documents. Each of the thirteen colonies and at present the government of the United States was made responsible to assure that no such thing against any such clause happens.
Also by some ways, the powers granted to the Congress and at present, to the government of the United States by the articles of Confederation and by the Constitution of the United States are similar. Both have the commonality that the Congress had the sole right to declare war if it considers that the sovereignty of the country or the thirteen colonies are at stake. Both also provided the national government to look after to the matters of the foreign policymaking, matters related to the defense of the country and to look for the new business ventures where new economic relations can be made.
The interesting aspects in both the Articles of Confederations and also in the constitution of the United States of America is that both made stand the government of the United States to pay the national debts but not enlisted the ways how the debts be met by the government or how the states will contribute in managing the external debts of the United States. The clause for revenue generation was also left to the states and also the Government in the United State. One other interesting aspect is that in line with the structure of the articles of confederation it was thought that the national government is weak and it would be difficult for the government to sustain itself ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"S3dF4KuU","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Bancroft)","plainCitation":"(Bancroft)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":312,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/LANFNNWV"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/LANFNNWV"],"itemData":{"id":312,"type":"book","title":"History of the Formation of the Constitution of the United States of America","publisher":"D. Appleton","volume":"1","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Bancroft","given":"George"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["1885"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Bancroft). It was for this reason that the government felt weak and it was also depicted in its conduct diplomatically when it remained failed in pulling out the French forces out of the territory of the United States.
Just to mention that despite such weakness and definite definitions of the phenomena’s by the articles of confederation, the government formed had a very lasting impact in the formation of the United States as a country. The Congress along with the government was able to set all the boundary disputes between the states. This is also for this reason that the supremacy of the Constitution is considered supreme, as it sets the basis for the government of the US to conduct its affairs.
Works Cited
ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Bancroft, George. History of the Formation of the Constitution of the United States of America. Vol. 1, D. Appleton, 1885.
Dougherty, Keith L. Collective Action under the Articles of Confederation. Cambridge University Press, 2006.
Jensen, Merrill. The Articles of Confederation: An Interpretation of the Social-Constitutional History of the American Revolution 1774-1781. Vol. 12, Univ of Wisconsin Press, 1970.
More Subjects
Join our mailing list
© All Rights Reserved 2024