Analyzing The Crisis Of The 1780's Helped Shaped The United States

How The Crisis of The 1780’s Helped Shaped The United States Constitution

In the 1780’s after the American Revolution the United States struggled to establish strong government. The United States won their freedom and independence and was left without a strong constitution. Political, economics and diplomatic crisis during the 1780’s led to the establishment of the United States Constitution.

Between 1786 and 1787 in the United States the Articles of Confederation were being tested by political issues. The main crisis was the Shays Rebellion led by Daniel Shays. The rebellion was a revolt against the state's taxing large amounts towards farmers causing them to foreclose. The farmers were unable to pay the high taxes and feared to lose their

“ Yet the general economic picture was far from rosy… independence had drawbacks… state government had borrowed more money during the war than they could ever hope to repay… inflation had been ruinous to many citizens, and congress...failed… to curb economic laws” ( Kennedy, Cohen, Bailey 170). Between 1784 and 1785 depression took a hard turn on Americans. The depression led to low production of goods and the United States was almost bankrupt from all of the debt after the revolution. “The average citizen was probably worse off financially at the end of the shooting than at the start” (Kennedy, Cohen, Bailey 170 ). On top of that Britain wouldn’t allow American ships trade to Britain or the West Indies cutting off American trade. America was importing more than exporting causing no mercantilism. The Articles of Confederation were weak and the United States needed a constitution with tariffs, commerce and valuable

The United States had no respect under the Articles of Confederation. The Treaty of Paris that helped end the war led the British to remain on the United States soil because America wouldn’t give them land they believed belonged to them after the revolution war also fur trappers were making money off of the beaver fur. “... the United States could enforce their own navigation acts that would hurt England. This threat was empty… Articles of Confederation did not bestow congress enough power to pass a bill…” (Clark 2013 ). The United States mislead other countries making it sound like the United States had power but in reality foreign countries didn’t see the United States as a threat to them and the United States had no power to do anything against other foreign countries. Later Spain closed the Mississippi river to United State trade and didn’t acknowledge the new boundary lines between Florida and the Mississippi river. Also in the Mediterranean Barbary pirates attacked and raided American ships. The United States needed a constitution to protect the country, and allow the government to pass laws and confirm bills. The United States Constitution would later provide all of these benefits for the