The independent American colonies created the Articles of Confederation as their first attempt at a constitution. The Articles of Confederation had many severe flaws to it. Congress was unable to tax the states, and the fear of a strong central government prevented congress from having any real authority over the states. Congress was unable to pay the Continental army’s solider which resulted in many of them losing their homes and property.There was no president or Supreme court.
This led to an outburst of rebellions. One of the major conflicts between regional economies occurred between western and eastern Massachusetts. This was known as Shay’s rebellion. Shay was a small town farmer who lost his home while fighting in the revolutionary war. After refusing to pay high taxes to the merchants in Boston he succeeded in shutting down the local courts. Although the rebellion wasn’t major it showed the weakness in the Articles by being unable to effectively put down a rebellion. The many flaws of the Articles of Confederation, served as guidelines to the Constitution.
Our current constitution was created by special convention in Philadelphia in 1787 and was ratified in 1789. This constitution has checks and balances, separation of powers, and the ability to have amendments over time. This lesson in American history shows that when a first attempt fails, those with power should compromise to find a solution.
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