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Essay / Analysis of the Articles of Confederation - 728
Yes, the Constitutional Convention of 1787 was essential to preserving the Union, because the Articles of Confederation did a poor job of establishing a stable America. Only a handful of people across the country were satisfied with the issues addressed in the Articles of Confederation. This document did not unite the nation, but created more differences between people. The Articles of Confederation failed to properly distribute power between Congress and the states, thus giving the states supreme control rather than Congress. This imbalance in society left each state to its own devices, in addition to whatever alliances they could form with each other (creating even more divisions within the country). Congress did not have the power to tax or create a national army, navy, and army, which did not make America stronger as a nation. By granting these powers to the state, the Articles of Confederation technically created thirteen small countries. After the Revolution, the United States became even more vulnerable to foreign invaders and if a small state militia were tasked with repelling these intruders, the state would be easily attacked. This is just one of the consequences that could have occurred if the Constitution of 1787 had not been accepted. The Constitution granted essential powers to the nation, without which America would collapse. Under this newly created document, three different branches of government were created: the judiciary, the legislature, and the executive. The legislative branch consisted of Congress, which now had the power to create a military, control interstate and international commerce, and create laws. The judicial branch was the Supreme Court, which reviewed the decision of the president (in the executive branch...... middle of paper ......ge was created, to express the opinion of the people and maintain its distances from the mob. The fact that members of the country's capital vote based on their state's decision allows the country to not suffer the fate of being controlled by a radical mob. Now the question of representation. of slaves became an issue for delegates to the Southern Constitutional Convention. The states wanted the slave population to have a say, while the northern states were absolutely opposed to what was purchased being considered a slave. Counting slaves, Southern representation in Congress would increase, allowing plantation owners to do so. Over time, the North had to make a three-fifths compromise with the slaves (giving each slave three-fifths of the slaves). voice), as the South threatened to cut off the North's food supply..