The Evolution of the U.S. Constitution and Federalism

The Foundation of the U.S. Constitution

The Constitution is a document outlining the purpose and powers of the national government. It was written to be broad and flexible to better suit the needs of future generations.

The Articles of Confederation: A Failed Predecessor

Before this document was created, there was another: the Articles of Confederation. The Articles were not effective; they gave the federal government little to no power because the writers feared the kind of power the British monarchy had over the colonists.

Strengths and Weaknesses

• Strengths: It was our first unifying government and it created the Northwest Ordinance, which set up the process for territories to become states.
• Weaknesses: It was a threat to the well-being of the United States. Since the federal government was not given much power, states had the final say about almost everything, very little money could be collected from taxes, the army was weak, and tariff laws could not be made without unanimous consent.

This did not make for an effective central government, and despite Shays’ Rebellion, supporters of state governments and individual rights enjoyed the power that this government gave them.

The Conflict: Federalists vs. Antifederalists

Opponents of the new Constitution, who preferred the Articles, were called Antifederalists. They would have liked to amend the Articles, but it was almost impossible to get unanimous approval for changes.

Antifederalist Concerns

After a new Constitution was written, they opposed its ratification because they were concerned about:

• Presidential powers
• Congress abusing their powers
• The lack of a guarantee for civil liberties
• The belief that a powerful central government would be unable to provide for the needs of individuals because it was far removed from the states.

The Antifederalists even published articles in the newspapers to gain supporters, as did the Federalists.

The Federalist Vision

Those that supported the Constitution were Federalists, such as John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison. They believed that a strong, effective central government would provide a stable country and encourage respectful, diplomatic relations with other nations, as well as a strong economy.

Balancing Power

The government needed to be able to have more control over the states and enforce laws without becoming too powerful. To counteract the central government’s power, the following systems were implemented:

• Checks and Balances: Prevents the government from growing too strong by distributing power among three branches of government.
• Federalism: Distributes power between the states and the federal government.

In order to convince Antifederalists to ratify the Constitution, the Federalists agreed to add a Bill of Rights to the Constitution. This was a list of individual rights that would be guaranteed to people. The Federalists won the argument when 9 of the 13 states ratified the new Constitution.