Differences Between The Articles Of Confederation And The Constitution

359 Words2 Pages
After winning their independence from Great Britain, many of the thirteen colonies adopted new constitutions. The colonists also realized that some kind of central government was needed. Adopted in 1777, the Articles of Confederation was the first government of the United States. By 1787 the weaknesses of the government under the Articles had become clear. A convention was held in Philadelphia during the summer of 1787. While originally planned merely to revise the Articles of Confederation, the convention eventually adopted an entirely new plan: the Constitution. Delegates worked to settle differences over representation and slavery. Incorporating ideas from English law, the Enlightenment, and their own experiences, they designed a federal