Articles of Confederation Vs Constitution PDF

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Articles of Confederation Vs Constitution...

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1 Dr . Bu r t o nAt ki n s PLSC47 1–0 0 1 Se p t e mb e r6 ,2 0 2 0 Ou rFou n d i n gDo c u me n t s Be f o r ewec o n s i d e rt h es p e c i ficdi ffe r e n c e si ns u b s t a n c eoft h eAr t i c l e so fCo n f e d e r a t i o n a n dt h eCon s t i t ut i o n ,wes h ou l dfir s tc o n s i d e rs o meh i s t o r yb e h i n dt heAr t i c l e sofCo n f e d e r a t i o n. Th eAr t i c l e so fCo n f e d e r a t i onwa st h ep r e c u r s o rt ot h eCon s t i t ut i o nt h a tweh a v ei np l a c et o d a y . 1 3r e p r e s e n t a t i v e sf r o me a c ho ft h ec o l o n i e swo r k e dt o g e t he rt oc o meu pwi t hap r o po s a lf o ra n a t i o n a lc h a r t e r . Mul t i pl ed r a f t so ft h eAr t i c l e so fCon f e d e r a t i onwe r es u b mi t t e dt oCo n g r e s s b e f o r eb e i n ga c c e p t e d . Th efin a ld r a f twa ss u b mi t t e di n1 7 7 7b u ti twa sno tf u l l yr a t i fie du n t i lt h e fin a ls t a t e , Ma r y l a nd , a c c e p t e di n1 7 81 . Ar t i c l eVo ft h eAr t i c l e so fCon f e d e r a t i one s t a b l i s h e das i n g l eh o u s eCo n g r e s sc o n s i s t i n g o fr e p r e s e n t a t i v e sf r o me a c hs t a t ewi t ht h ea g e n d ao fd e a l i n gwi t hf o r e i gna ffa i r s , e s t a b l i s h i n ga n a t i o n a ld e f e n s e , a n de s t a b l i s h i n gan a t i o na lc o i n .Be t we e nt woa nds e v e nd e l e g a t e swe r e a p p o i n t e db ye a c hs t a t ea n dwe r et ome e t o n c eay e a r . Ea c hs t a t eh a do n ev o t ei nd e t e r mi n i n g n a t i o n a lma t t e r s . Th eAr t i c l e so fCo n f e d e r a t i o nwe r er e p r e s e n t a t i v eofh o wCo n gr e s sf e l ta b o u tas t r o n g c e n t r a l a u t h o r i t ya f t e rj u s td e c l a r i n gi n d e p e n d e n c ef r o m amo n a r c h i cGr e a t Br i t a i n .TheAr t i c l e s d i dv e r yl i t t l et oe s t a b l i s ha na c t u a ln a t i o na lg o v e r n me n t . Ra t h e r , t h e ye s t a b l i s he das or to fl oo s e a l l i a n c eb e t we e nt hes t a t e s . Th ewe a kn e s so ft heAr t i c l e swa sb yd e s i g n . Th e ywa nt e dt oma i n t a i n a smuc hs t a t es o v e r e i g n t ya st h e yc o u l d .Th es t a t e svi e we dt h e i rs o v e r e i g n t ya spa r a mou n ti n e s t a b l i s h i n gag o v e r n me n tl e s sp r o n et ot y r a n n ya n dc o r r up t i o n .Ar t i c l eI Ie x p l i c i t l ys t a t e st h a ta l l

2 o ft h es t a t eg o v e r n me n t sma i n t a i n e dt h er i g h tt oe xp r e s st h e i ro wnp o we r st h a ta r en o tl i s t e di nt h e Ar t i c l e s . Ho we v e r , t h i sl a c kofn a t i o n a la u t h o r i t yp r o v e dt ob ei n e ffic i e n twh e ni mpl e me n t e d .Th e r e s to ft hi sp a p e rwi l ldi s c u s st h r e eoft h ema i ni s s u e swi t ht heAr t i c l e so fCo n f e d e r a t i o n , a nd h o wt h e ywe r ea d d r e s s e da tt h eCo n s t i t ut i o n a lCo n v e n t i o ni n1 7 87 . Th efir s t , a n do n eo ft h eb i g g e s ti s s u e swi t ht h eAr t i c l e so fCo n f e d e r a t i o nt h a twewi l l c o n s i d e ri swa st h el a c ko fc h e c ksa ndb a l a n c e s .Wa n t i n gt oma i n t a i na sl i t t l en a t i o na l o v e r s i g h t a spo s s i bl e , t h eAr t i c l e sa i me dt omi n i mi z et h en u mb e ro fg o v e r nme n tb r a n c h e s . Asn o t e da b o v e , t hewh o l en a t i o na l g o v e r n me n tc o n s i s t e do fas i n gl eh ou s eCo n gr e s s . Ar t i c l eVe ffe c t i v e l yc r e a t e d t heCo n g r e s so ft heCo n f e d e r a t i o n.Th ei s s u ewi t hh a v i n go n l yo neg o v e r n me n tb r a n c hwa st h a t t he ywe r eno ta c c o u n t a b l et oa n y b o d yb u tt he ms e l v e s .Wi t ht h er e p r e s e n t a t i v e sbe i n gs e l e c t e db y t hes t a t el e g i s l a t u r e sa n dn o tt hep e o p l e ,t h ep o we rb e c a mev e r yc o n c e nt r a t e d ,ma ki n gt h e mmor e p r o net ot y r a n n y . Th es e c o n di s s u et h a twes h ou l dc o n s i d e ri st h a tAr t i c l eVo nl yg a v eo n ev ot et oe a c h s t a t e . Th ei de ab e h i n dt hi swa st h a tb e c a u s ee v e r ys t a t ewa se q u a l , t he ys h o u l dc a r r ya ne q u a l a mo u nto fp o we r . Thi swa sap o i n to fs t r on gc on t e n t i o na mo n gma n yo ft h es t a t e s . De l e g a t e sf r o m b i g g e rs t a t e sb e l i e v e dt h a tt hen umb e ro fv o t e ss h ou l db eb a s e do nt h ep o p u l a t i o noft h es t a t e s . De l e g a t e sf r o ms ma l l e rs t a t e ss u p p o r t e da ne q u a ln u mb e rofv o t e sa st h e yf e l tt h a tt h en u mb e rof v o t e swa sd i r e c t l yc o r r e l a t e dwi t ht h ea mo u n to fpo we re a c hs t a t eh e l d . Wh i l ea ne q ua ln u mb e ro f v o t e ss o u n d sg o o di nt h e o r y ,t hec i t i z e n swe r en o tb e i n gr e p r e s e n t e dp r o p e r l y . Th efin a li s s u et h a twewi l le x a mi n ed e e p e ri st h ef a c tt ha tt h eAr t i c l e sd i dno tg i v e Co n g r e s st h ep o we rt ot a x . Ar t i c l eVI I Is a i dt h a te a c hs t a t eh a st h ep o we rt ot a xt h e i rc i t i z e n sb u t g i v i n gt h a tmo n e yt oc o n gr e s st op a yf o rt hi n g sf o rt hec o mmong o o dwa sv o l u n t a r y . Th e ywr o t e

3 i tt h i swa ya st he ywe r es c a r e do fg i v i n gt hepe r c e p t i ont h a t t h e r ewa s“ t a x a t i o nwi t h o u t r e pr e s e n t a t i o n . ”Ma n yo ft h es t a t e sn e g l e c t e dt of or ko v e rt h e i rt a xmo n e y . Th i sl e dt oma n y p r o bl e ms . Ar t i c l eXI Is t a t e dt ha tt hena t i o n a lg o v e r n me ntwa sg o i n gt opa yb a c kd e b t sf r om p r e v i o u swa r s . Ho we v e r , Con g r e s sd i dno th a v et hec a s h flo wt oma k et h o s ep a y me n t s . Fo r e i g n g o v e r nme n t swe r ej us t i fia b l yh e s i t a n tt ol o a nmo n e yt oag o v e r nme n tt ha th a das l i mc h a nc eo f b e i n ga b l et op a yi tb a c ki nt h ef o r e s e e a bl ef u t u r e . Be c a u s et h e yc o u l d n ’ tt a xi mp or t s , t he i n c e n t i v et op r o d u c eg o o d si nAme r i c ad r o p pe d , h i n de r i n gAme r i c a ni n n o v a t i o n .Th ev a l u eo ft h e c e n t r a l c u r r e n c ydr o p p e ds i g n i fic a nt l y . Th e yl a c k e dt h ef u n d st op r o p e r l yma i n t a i nan a t i o na l d e f e n s e . Th el i s to ft r i c kl e dd o wni s s u e ss t e mmi n gf r o mn of o r ma lt a x a t i onc o u l dg oon . Al t h o ug hIo n l ye x a mi n e dt h r e ema j o ri s s u e swi t ht heAr t i c l e so fCo n f e d e r a t i o n , ma n y mo r ec o ul db ef ou n dt h a twe r ea d d r e s s e da tt h eCo n s t i t u t i o n a lCo n v e nt i o n. Someo ft he s ei s s u e s i n c l ud e :Co n g r e s sn e e de dt ov o t eu na n i mo u s l yt op a s sa me n d me n t s , s t a t e swe r ea b l et ot a xo t h e r s t a t e sg o o d s , a n dl e g i s l a t i o nr e q u i r e da9 / 1 3v o t et op a s s . I nl a t eMa yo f1 7 8 7 , wh oa r en o wkn o wna s“ Th eFr a me r s ”me ti nPh i l a d e l p h i a , Pe n n s y l v a n i at oa d d r e s st h e i rf a i l i n gs y s t e m. Fi v ed i ffe r e n tc o mp r o mi s e swe r ema d ewi t ht hr e e d i ffe r e n tu n d e r l y i n gp r i n c i p l e si nmi nd .Th eGr e a tCo mp r o mi s e , t h eTh r e e Fi f t h sCo mp r o mi s e , t heCo mme r c eCo mp r o mi s e , t h eSl a v eTr a d eCo mp r o mi s e , a n dt h eEl e c t o r a lCo l l e g e Co mp r o mi s ewe r ea l l ma d ewi t ht h ep r i n c i p l e so fc h e c k sa n dba l a n c e s , f e d e r a l i s m,a ndi n d i v i d u a l r i g ht sa n dl i b e r t i e si nmi n d . Che c k sa n db a l a n c e swe r ei mp l e me n t e db yd i r e c t l yc h a n g i n gt hes t r u c t ur eo fo u r g o v e r nme n t . Ar t i c l e s1 3o ft h eCo n s t i t u t i o ne ffe c t i v e l yc r e a t e dt h et h r e ed i ffe r e n tb r a n c he so ft h e g o v e r nme n tt ha twea r ef a mi l i a rwi t ht od a y . Ar t i c l eIs o l v e dt h ed i s p u t e sb e t we e ns t a t e so v e r

4 wh e t h e rt h e ys h o u l dh a v ea ne q u a ln u mbe rofv o t e soranu mb e ro fv o t e sp r o p o r t i o n a lt ot h e i r p o p u l a t i o n . Ar t i c l eISe c t i o nIs pl i t sc o n gr e s si n t ot wos e p a r a t eho u s e s , t h eHo us eof Re p r e s e n t a t i v e sa ndSe n a t e . Th i si so u rLe g i s l a t i v eBr a n c h . Ar t i c l eISe c t i o nI Ie x pl a i nst h a tt h e Ho u s eo fRe p r e s e n t a t i v e swi l lc o n s i s tofr e p r e s e n t a t i v e sp r o p or t i o na lt ot hes i z eo ft h es t a t e ’ s p o p u l a t i o n , a n dAr t i c l eISe c t i o nI Is a y st h a tSe n a t ewi l lc o n s i s to ft wor e p r e s e n t a t i v e sf r o me a c h s t a t e . Th e s et woh o u s e sk e e pe a c ho t h e ri nc h e c ka sb i l l smu s tbep a s s e db yb o t hh ou s e sb e f o r ei t c a nb e c omeal a w. Ar t i c l eI ISe c t i o nIc r e a t e st h ej o b so fPr e s i d e n ta n dVi c e Pr e s i de n t . Th i si st h e h e a do fo u rEx e c u t i v eBr a n c h. Th e ya r ei nc h a r g eo fe n f o r c i n gou rl a ws . Co n gr e s sa ndt h e Pr e s i d e n tk e e pe a c ho t h e ri nc he c ka sCon gr e s sf un dse x e c ut i v ea c t i o n sa n dt h ePr e s i d e n th a st h e a b i l i t yt ov e t oa n yb i l lp a s s e dt h r o u ghc on g r e s s . Ar t i c l eI I ISe c t i o nIe s t a b l i s h e st h eSu p r e me c o u r t . Th e ya r ei nc h a r g eo fe v a l u a t i n gt h el a w. Th i si so u rJ u d i c i a l Br a n c h. Th ePr e s i d e n ta n dt h e Sup r e meCo u r tk e e pe a c ho t h e ri nc h e c ka st h eSu p r e meCo u r tc a nd e c l a r ep r e s i de n t i a la c t i o n so r l a wsu n c o ns t i t u t i o n a l , b u tt hePr e s i d e n th a st h epo we rt oa p p oi ntt h eSu p r e meCo u r tJ u d g e s ( Ar t i c l eI I , Se c t i o nI I ) . Fe d e r a l i s mr e f e r st ot h er e l a t i o n s h i pbe t we e nt h es t a t e sa n dt h ef e d e r a lg o v e r nme n t . Th e c a r e f u lc on s i de r a t i o nofh o wt oma k es ur et h a t t h es t a t eg o v e r nme nt sa n df e d e r a lg o v e r n me nta r e r e s po n s i b l et oe a c ho t he rwh i l es t i l lma i n t a i ni n gs o v e r e i g n t yl e dt oAr t i c l eISe c t i o nVI I Io ft he Co n s t i t u t i o n .Th i sc l a u s ea l l o wsc o n g r e s st oc o l l e c tt a x e sf o rt heg e n e r a lwe l f a r eoft heUn i t e d St a t e s . Th eSi xt e e n t hAme n d me n ta l l o wsCo n g r e s st od i r e c t l yc o l l e c ti n c o met a xf r o mi t s c i t i z e n s . Th e s et a x e sa r eu t i l i z e dt h ewa yt ha tt h e yh a de n v i s i o n e df ort h eAr t i c l e so f Co n f e d e r a t i o n .

5 On eo ft h emo s ti mp o r t a n t p r i nc i p l e sb e h i n dt h eCo n s t i t u t i o ni st h ep r o t e c t i o no f i n d i v i d u a lr i g h t sa n dl i b e r t i e s . Th er a t i fic a t i o no ft h eCo n s t i t u t i o nl o s tt r a c t i o nb e f o r et h eBi l lo f Ri g h t swa si mp l e me nt e d . Th eBi l lo fRi g h t si st hefir s tt e na me n dme n t so nt h eCo ns t i t u t i o n , ma i n l yc o n c e r n i n go u rc i v i ll i b e r t i e s . Th i sa d di t i onma d et h ec o ns t i t u t i o nmo r ea t t r a c t i v et ot he s t a t e st h a twe r eh o l d i n go u t . OnJ u n e21 , 1 7 8 8 ,Ne wHa mps h i r eb e c a met h en i n t hs t a t et or a t i f y t heCo n s t i t u t i o n,ma ki n gi tf e d e r a ll a w. OnMa y2 9,1 7 9 0 , f a c i n gh e a v yp r e s s u r ef r o mt h eU. S. g o v e r nme n t , Rh o deI s l a ndbe c a met h el a s ts t a t eo ft he1 3or i g i n a lc o l o n i e st or a t i f yt h e d o c u me n t . I nc o nc l u s i o n , i twa sav e r yl o n gr oa dl e a d i n gt ot h el a wsa n ds t r uc t u r eo fg o v e r nme n tt h a t weh a v ei np l a c et o da y . Al t h o u ght h eAr t i c l e so fCon f e d e r a t i o np r o v e dt obei n e ffic i e n t , t h e yl a i d t hegr o u n d wo r kf o ro u rCo n s t i t u t i o n . Ou rc o u n t r ywe n tt h r o u g hat i meo ft r i a la n de r r o r , a n di n t hee n d , wel e a r n e dt h a t c o mp l e t ea u t o n o myi s n ’ ta l wa y st h ebe s ta n s we r . So me t i me sg o v e r n me n t i n t e r v e n t i o nc a na l l o wf o rmo r ep e r s o n a lf r e e doms ....