Pros And Cons Under The Articles Of Confederation

After fighting for America’s independence the nation was faced with the situation of developing their own government; with that idea the Articles of Confederation were made as a way to define the government’s structure. With the articles came dysfunction, and a lack of authority. Consequently the dysfunction caused division in the nation, separating the people into two political parties, Federalist and anti-federalist. The parties developed over time and discord, with the development of the Constitution into the Federalist Party and the Democratic Republican Party. The two parties, the Federalist, and the Democratic Republicans, based on their backgrounds and means of income, opposed each other with differing political and economic views. The two parties’ division began early on Under the Articles of Confederation. The government was put into a

Federalist leader Alexander Hamilton’s financial plan was fought with opposition from the Republicans. Though Jefferson and Madison opposed, the financial plan was approved by congress. “The central government assumed all debt regulates and the National Bank provides and regulates currency” (Class notes). Taxes were places on imports and whiskey which caused s whiskey rebellion in 1794. “The Federalists saw the economic future in manufacturing, but not political role of “common man.” Little faith in democracy.” “Republicans saw political future of “common man” participating in republic, Faith in the new democracy, but failed to see that farming was not economic future.” (Class notes) Each group had ideas that needed support from one another. Because the two only found division and conflict even in situations of unitedness a division was evident. The tension intensified with the Quasi war between France and boiled over when freedom of speech was made illegal with the Alien and Sedition acts. Which was later condemned by the Virginia and Kentucky