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TheArticlesofConfederationtotheUnitedStatesConstitution By1776,Americans’desireforindependencefromEnglandwasgrowingrapidly,andon th July4 ,1776,theSecondContinentalCongressapprovedtheDeclarationof Independence.Althoughtruefreedomwouldnotcomeuntiltheendofthe RevolutionaryWar,Americancolonieswerenowfreestatesintheory. Soonafter,theindividualstatesbegandraftingtheirownconstitutions;eventually,each staterealizedthereweresomethingsitwouldnotbeabletodoonitsown.In1777,the SecondContinentalCongressmadeplanstounitethestatesandlaidouttheseplansina documenttitledthe“ArticlesofConfederation,”America’sfirstconstitution.Within threeyears,allstateshadratifiedtheArticlesofConfederation;however,thestates acknowledgedthatmanyweaknessesexisted. TheFacts: • Congresscouldnotpassalawunlessnineofthethirteencoloniesratifiedit. • AnyefforttochangeoramendtheArticlesofConfederationrequiredallthirteen statestoagreeuponthechange. • EvenwhenCongressmanagedtogetthenecessaryvotesandpasslaws,itdidnot havethepowertoenforcethoselaws. • TheArticlesofConfederationdidnotprovideforagovernororforcourts. • Ifastatedecidedtoignorealaw,therewasnotathingCongresscoulddo. Assignment: UsetheinformationprovidedinadditiontoyourknowledgetowritealettertoWilliam Blount,aNorthCarolinianwhosignedtheUnitedStatesConstitution.Thepurposeof yourletteristoconvinceWilliamBlountthattheArticlesofConfederationisfartoo weaktogovernanationandthatanewconstitutionaddressingtheproblemswill positivelyimpactAmericaanditspeople. Sources: Clayton,GaryE.,JohnJ.Patrick,RichardC.Remy,DavidC.Saffell,andGordonP. Whitaker. CivicsToday:Citizenship,Economics,andYou.NewYork:GlencoeMcGraw-Hill,2003. Asyouwrite,considerthefollowing: •Positiveeffects •Audience •Organization •Supportingdetails •Clarity •GrammarandStyle
