History Essay
Confederation and
Constitution
As depression struck
the new nation in the mid-1780s, new questions arose about the nature of
American democracy. Many conservatives believed that the answer lay in a
stronger national government. Most radicals believed it was up to the states to
relieve the financial burden of the people. These sentiments fostered a
movement for a new constitution. Political differences soon stimulated the
creation of political parties.
Compare and contrast
the Articles of Confederation with the new Constitution of 1787. What were the
strengths and weaknesses of the Articles vis-à-vis the Constitution? Give
specific instances that demonstrate the weakness of the Articles (such as the
Western problem).
Then analyze the
drafting of the Constitution, using specific details to show how the various
states (slave vs. free, east vs. west) compromised in order to effectively
draft a constitution. Pay particular attention to Roger Sherman’s plan, the
Great Compromise, which broke a stalemate that could have been fatal to the
development of the new Constitution.
Finally, compare and
contrast the debate over ratification between the Federalists and the
Anti-Federalists. Make sure you cite specific examples from the Federalist
Papers to support the Federalist position and contrast it with leading
proponents of the opposition (such as John Hancock). Analyze how the debate
over a bill of rights illustrates the differences between the two parties.
Evaluate the relative success of the Bill of Rights in achieving an effective
balance between national and states’ interests.
This paper must be four
to five double-spaced pages in length (not including the References page) and
utilize no less than four academic quality sources. Margins should be no more
than one inch (right and left) and the essay should be composed in an appropriate
font and size. Sources must be documented and cited using APA format.
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