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Compare And Contrast The Articles Of Confederation And The Constitution

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The Articles of Confederation and the Constitution are two important documents in American history that established the foundation for the current system of government in the United States. While both documents aimed to establish a functioning government, they differ greatly in their approach to governance and the protection of individual liberties. The Articles of Confederation, adopted in 1777, were the first constitution of the United States and provided a framework for a loose confederation of states. Under the Articles, the central government was relatively weak and had limited powers, with the states retaining most of the power. The government had no power to regulate commerce, levy taxes, or enforce laws. Additionally, there was no executive branch, and the legislative branch had limited power. The Articles also did not …show more content…

The Constitution also includes a system of checks and balances to limit the power of each branch and protect individual liberties. The Constitution established a president as the head of the executive branch, a bicameral Congress, and a Supreme Court. The Constitution also includes the Bill of Rights, which guarantees certain individual rights and freedoms, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. Additionally, the Constitution's system of checks and balances helps to prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful and violating individual rights. In terms of protecting liberties, the Constitution is considered to be a better document than the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution includes the Bill of Rights and the system of checks and balances, which ensure that individual rights are protected. The Bill of Rights also includes the protection of individual rights such as freedom of speech, religion, press, peaceful assembly, and the right to a fair

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