-
Essay / Role and Consequences of the Articles of Confederation
The Treaty of Paris in 1783 ended the revolutionary war between Great Britain and its former colonies, America. After a long and horrible war with many lives lost, the former settlers finally gained their independence at the Battle of Yorktown. The defeat of the British at the Battle of Yorktown would not have been possible without the help of the French. The French played a strategic and important role in the colonists' struggle for independence against the British stronghold. Having their own personal prejudices against Britain and wanting to make them lose colonies and there lowering some of Britain's status, the French decided to help the colonists once they had proven their perseverance to obtain independence during the Battle of Sara-toga. With the help of France, gaining their independence was only a matter of time for the colonists, British citizens were tired of footing a costly bill for a seemingly pointless war. After winning the war and finally being recognized as their own country by Britain, Spain, and France (all significant European powers of the time), the colonists found themselves faced with a new problem: forming a new government. As a predecessor to the constitution, the Articles of Confederation were the first document to define a completely new and distinct government for the British after the revolution. One of the most important things to note about the articles is that they do not advocate a central government figure like a president or any other type of monarchy. The articles clearly demonstrated the settlers' fears about the role of a central government and allowing a minority to control the actions of a majority. The authors of the Articles of Confederation gave limited power to a central government and clearly outlined many other ways in which the new American government would be run. All of this was the result of the colonists' fears and prejudices after the revolution, and partly due to Britain. .Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayThe Articles of Confederation vest power in each state. The decisions of a federal government could not be made without the agreement of all the states. The articles also called for the creation of a unicameral legislature, where each state held one vote. According to these articles, the states and their elected officials were far more important than anything the central government offered. Instead of a multitude bowing to the powers of the few, just as the colonists did to Parliament and the King of England, the newly created central government bowed to the will of the majority. The colonists hoped that with a government that made the will of its people the most important thing, they would never have to face the oppression they suffered at the hands of England. After all the laws and acts imposed on the colonies by Great Britain, such as the Quebec Act, the Townsend Duties, the Quartering Act, the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, etc., the colonists were afraid that a minority would 'imposes on a large majority, which is why they tightened their grip on the central government and limited their decisions and powers and only allowed the states closest to the multitude to make important decisions. This is also why independent states developed their own Bill of Rights and what the individual promises were. be respected for every citizen of a particular state...