Question

How was the U.S. Constitution different from the Articles of Confederation?

The U.S. Constitution set up the first form of government for the newly independent United States.
The U.S. Constitution set up the first form of government for the newly independent United States.

The U.S. Constitution allowed for each state to have an equal vote in Congress regardless of size or population.
The U.S. Constitution allowed for each state to have an equal vote in Congress regardless of size or population.

The U.S. Constitution separated powers between the judicial, legislative, and executive branches.
The U.S. Constitution separated powers between the judicial, legislative, and executive branches.

The U.S. Constitution had only one branch, a unicameral legislature that had limited power.

Answer 1

The U.S. Constitution was fundamentally different from the Articles of Confederation in several key ways:

1. **Structure of Government**:
- The Articles of Confederation established a weak central government with a unicameral legislature and no separate executive or judicial branches, effectively creating a system where state sovereignty was prioritized.
- The U.S. Constitution created a stronger federal government with a clear separation of powers among three branches: legislative (Congress), executive (President), and judicial (Supreme Court). This framework allowed for a more balanced distribution of power and a system of checks and balances.

2. **Voting Power in Congress**:
- Under the Articles of Confederation, each state had one vote in Congress, regardless of its population or size, which often led to unequal representation and challenges in decision-making.
- The U.S. Constitution introduced a bicameral legislature (the House of Representatives and the Senate), allowing representation based on population in the House (favoring larger states) while maintaining equal representation (two senators per state) in the Senate (favoring smaller states).

3. **Federal Authority**:
- The Articles of Confederation granted very limited powers to the central government, which struggled to enforce laws, regulate commerce, and collect taxes.
- The U.S. Constitution empowered the federal government with the ability to levy taxes, regulate interstate commerce, and maintain a standing army, thereby enabling it to effectively govern and respond to national issues.

4. **Amendment Process**:
- The Articles of Confederation required unanimous consent from all thirteen states to amend, which made it nearly impossible to adapt or improve the governing framework.
- The U.S. Constitution established a more practical amendment process that requires a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states.

In summary, the U.S. Constitution provided a more robust and adaptable framework for governance, addressing many weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation while implementing a system designed to balance state and federal powers more effectively.