The American Vision: Modern Times © 2008

Chapter 3: The Civil War and Reconstruction

Chapter Overviews

The Confederation

Section 1 discusses the accomplishments and weaknesses of the national government under the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation loosely united the thirteen states under the authority of a single-house Congress, with no separate judicial or executive branch. While the Congress established a process for settling western territory and negotiated commercial treaties, the problems of a weak central government soon became apparent. Difficulties with foreign powers arose from Congress’s inability to collect taxes, enforce treaties, or regulate trade. Conflicts at home involved interstate trade, a weak currency, and a large national debt. In Massachusetts, Shays’s Rebellion caused some Americans to worry that their property rights were at risk because the government was too weak. As citizens deplored the acts of lawlessness, many people began to call for a stronger central government.

A New Constitution

Section 2 describes the issues and debates of the Constitutional Convention. In 1787, 55 delegates from all the states except Rhode Island attended the Constitutional Convention to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. After reviewing new plans for the government, delegates voted to abandon the Articles of Confederation and begin anew. Debates about the new constitution often split delegates geographically and created disputes between small states and large states. A compromise divided state representation into two houses. In the House, representation was based on population; but in the Senate each state had equal representation. Other compromises settled conflicts over slavery and the regulation of trade. The convention then set to work on deciding how the government would operate. The delegates crafted a constitution that provided for a separation of powers among three branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial—and created a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. They also included a system to allow amendments to the constitution. Their task complete, 39 delegates signed the new Constitution and waited to see if the states would ratify the document.

Ratification

Section 3 follows the campaign to ratify the Constitution. The Federalists, who supported ratification, led a highly organized campaign that promoted the benefits of a strong central government. The Anti-Federalists opposed ratification because they believed that the Constitution gave the national government too much power and endangered the independence of the states. While several states quickly approved the new framework of government, other states presented strong opposition. Massachusetts voted for ratification only after the Federalists promised to attach a bill of rights to the Constitution. Another concession was for an amendment that would state that the powers not specifically granted to the national government were reserved for the states. By July 1788, 11 states had ratified the Constitution, and the United States launched its new government. North Carolina and Rhode Island ratified the Constitution after the new government was in place.