Which statement expresses an assumption behind the articles of confederation that is not an behind the u.s. constitution the passage summarizes a speech given by john quincy adams in 1939. fifty years after the ratification of the u.s. constitutional

Social Studies · College · Thu Feb 04 2021

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Answer: The statement that expresses an assumption behind the Articles of Confederation that is not behind the U.S. Constitution could potentially be that "a loose confederation of states is sufficient to maintain unity and effectively govern the nation." This assumption reflects the initial idea that the United States would function as a collection of sovereign states that are united for certain purposes, but not integrated into a single solid government.

Under the Articles of Confederation, there was a strong emphasis on state sovereignty, and the powers of the central government were extremely limited. The national government could not tax directly, regulate commerce between the states or with foreign nations, and amendments to the Articles required a unanimous vote by the states, making it very difficult to adapt to changing circumstances.

On the other hand, the U.S. Constitution established a more centralized federal government structure with a clearer distribution of powers between the national government and the states, thus moving away from the idea that a loose confederation was sufficient. The federal government under the Constitution was given the authority to levy taxes, regulate interstate and international trade, and a system of checks and balances among three branches of government (Executive, Legislative, and Judicial) was created to prevent any concentration of too much power in one part of the government.

Extra: The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the United States, ratified in 1781 during the American Revolution. The key concept behind the Articles was to preserve the independence and sovereignty of each state. This meant that the Articles created a very weak national government.

However, several issues highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles, such as the inability of the national government to enforce laws, lack of centralized military command, and difficulty in managing the economy. These issues led to the realization that a stronger federal government was necessary to unite the states and ensure the survival and success of the nation.

The Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia produced a new document, the U.S. Constitution, which established a system of federalism that balanced power between the national government and the states. The Constitution provided a stronger central government with the power to tax, a more robust executive branch with a president, and a bicameral legislature that balanced the representation of large and small states.

To understand the evolution from the Articles of Confederation to the U.S. Constitution, it's important to study both documents and the debates that took place during the development of the Constitution, particularly in The Federalist Papers, which argued for a stronger central government. The new framework established by the Constitution has been the foundation of the United States government since its ratification in 1788 and has continuously evolved through amendments and judicial interpretation.