American Revolution

As the American Revolution came to an end, the newly independent nation of the United States was face with the difficulty of having to write a constitution. Founding fathers of the Continental congress met in a building called Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to write this constitution. Many people from the time period of the 1780's believed that an effective government was a body that could govern mass numbers of people and that a written constitution would better organize this new nation. The Articles of Confederation were quite successful in a number of ways; although in the long run, they proved too cumbersome to form a long term system of government.

New Nation:

Fact: An advantage was that states would claim land west of Appalachians

Example: Federal land

Fact: Lack of an executive branch and federal courts under the Articles

Example: Government was unable to keep the political stability of the country

- Unhappy and uncooperative

- State boundaries constantly questioned

Fact: Every state handled its own legal matters

Example: Lack of independent Judiciary

Fact: No power or money (no trade negotiations)

Example: unable to negotiate trade policies with main costumer, England

Fact: No army of its own

Example: Could not provide adequate protection in the Northwest or South

Fact: No control of interstate commerce

Example: Failed to stop tariff conflicts between the states

Spanish:

Fact: Spanish sucked up to England

Example: Prevented America from using the Mississippi River

Fact: Did what everyone had done

Example: Stirred up the Indians

English:

Fact: Still English military in the new nation

Example: Presence around/within Great Lakes

Fact: Unable to get passage of navigation laws to limit ships from nations not having commercial treaties with the US

Example: Great Britain

Prior to the unorganized Articles of Confederation were written, the Continental Congress wanted a constitution to bring order to the new nation's