Essay Sample on The Articles of Confederation and the Constitution: A Historical Comparison

Introduction

According to the U.S. history, two of the most prominent documents to be implemented and is responsible for the manifestations of the U.S. revolutionary periods are the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution; therefore, they have much in common, and at the same time, they are different (Scaros, 2011). First, the two articles were written and mandated by the same individuals, but their perceptions were different. Historical information noted that they were considered as the first government of the U.S. for an extended duration since they resembled the laws of the land (Scaros, 2011). Both of the articles recognize the nation like the United States of America, and the bills are composed of the legislature where the Articles of Confederation accept the Congress while the Constitution recognizes the Senate and the House of Representatives (Scaros, 2011).

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Nonetheless, the approach of appointing member state that the representatives are to be elected by the vote as per the constitution. On the contrary, the Article of Confederation indicates that the state legislatures are responsible for appointing the member (Scaros, 2011). As per the constitution, the legislative office is constructed in a manner that the representatives are limited to two-year and senators six-years of service. Besides, the Article of Confederation proposed a one-year term; thus, granting the legislative branch a term limit of three years, and the constitution does not promote time-limits (Scaros, 2011). Just like the legal, the law strengthens and supports the executive office and the power accompanying it, while the Article of Confederation dismissed any executive role and position. Nonetheless, in the case of amending a law, the Article of Confederation supports the agreement of all the states, while the constitution only recognizes the understanding of three-quarters of the U.S. states (Scaros, 2011).

The U.S. Constitution was created and mandated in 1789. It replaced the Articles of Confederation. The new document established a more extended system of leadership and administration. It created checks and balances between the Judiciary, Executive, and Legislature. Also, it strengthened the relationship between states and the national government (Scaros, 2011). The essential norm it mandated was the Bill of rights, which is composed of the first ten laws of the Constitution that created the foundation of the public liberties Americans enjoy to date. The Constitution motivated other nations to adopt a similar system for the establishment of a democratic government driven by reforms.

Conversely, the Article of Confederation did not manage the relationship between the states and the federal government well (Scaros, 2011). It is because it lacked the judicial system so disputed could not be handled and resolved appropriately. Also, it accepted the adoption if foreign treaties, which were violated by the states putting the nation in a compromising situation politically. Equally, the system did not support taxing authority; thus, the financial taxes were not collected to fund the American war and debts (Scaros, 2011).

Conclusion

To conclude, these two documents have a few similarities but several differences. The primary significance between the two papers is that they play an essential role in the founding pillars of the United States of America. Unfortunately, the differences between the two are reflected in the operations of the federal government, where the Constitution recognizes three branches while the Articles of Confederation only perceive one. Additionally, the Article of Confederation lacked bodies to strengthen tax collection, organizations to assist in building a good relationship between the states and the nation and the establishment of the Bill of Rights that is among the most appreciated policies in the world.

References

Scaros, C. (2011). Understanding the Constitution. Burlington, Massachusetts, United States: Jones & Bartlett Learning.