How Are The Articles Of Confederation Justified Dbq

The Articles of Confederation, written in 1776, were the foundation to a war-based government. At the time of the drafting this was deemed necessary, but years later, it became a burden on the States. A few select men were tasked with the editing of the Articles, to make them more sustainable to the 'modern' times of 1787. However, those men chose to drop the Articles of Confederation completely in favor of a new, improved Constitution.

The men, who proceeded to draft the long-lived U.S. Consitution, justified their decision with various different arguements. However, one could see the repitition that traced through a majority: the blame was to be put on the states. Now, they were not pointing fingers at the individual, but instead voicing

What made it justified was the understanding that there was a need for a new Constitution. While the people were stubborn in their wants, they could comprehend the fact that they were a complete mess. With this in mind, the allowed for the Constitution to take it's place, with some hesitation. The protection of the collective security could potentially harm that of their individual freedoms. With this concern in mind, the men behind the U.S. Constitution found a simple solution: put the people in power. It was the very basic idea that the nation was set up upon in the first place, and therefore, a very elementary solution to the problem of individual freedoms. With a say in the state and national government, through means of executive chairs and status', the people were able to have a representative present with their specific concerns and well-being in

Was a new Constitution really that necisary? Of course the answer was yes; with the states being in the 'state' that they were in, many things were put to risk. Foreign affairs, for example, would be hindered due to the inability to be taken seriously as a nation. Riots between states would insue, the overall possibility of falling apart was a major concern. In a letter to Rev. William Gordon, our first President George Washington says this: "...It now rests with the Confederated Powers [states], by the line of conduct they mean to adopt, to make this Country great, happy, and respectable, or to sink into littleness--worse perhaps, into Anarcy and confusion--for certain I am that unless adequate Powers are given to Congress for the general purposes of the Federal Union that we shall soon molder [decay] into dust and become contemptible in the Eyes of Europe..." The point being, he expresses his worries to Rev. William Gordon about the thin line that was the current United States. It could either rise to a higher glory, or fall into a state of no