Why did the delegates to the Constitutional Convention find it easier to draft a new governing document than to amend the Articles of Confederation? AKS 33d
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5 points
Under the articles, the president had the power to veto all amendments.
Amendments to the Articles of Confederation had to be approved by all thirteen states.
Under the articles, only the president could introduce amendments for approval by the states.
A majority of the country’s population had to approve amendments to the Articles of Confederation.
The correct answer is:
Amendments to the Articles of Confederation had to be approved by all thirteen states.
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention found it easier to draft a new governing document because amending the Articles of Confederation would require unanimous approval from all thirteen states. This process was extremely difficult and time-consuming, as each state had its own interests and concerns that had to be addressed. On the other hand, drafting a new governing document allowed the delegates to start from scratch and create a more centralized and effective system of government.
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention found it easier to draft a new governing document than to amend the Articles of Confederation for several reasons.
One of the reasons was that amendments to the Articles of Confederation had to be approved by all thirteen states. This meant that even if a majority of states were in favor of making changes, a single state could effectively block any amendments. This requirement made it difficult to achieve consensus and resulted in a lack of progress in amending the Articles.
Additionally, under the Articles of Confederation, only the states had the power to initiate amendments. This limited the ability of the central government to propose changes or address the weaknesses of the existing framework. As a result, any amendments would require the approval of all states, making the process cumbersome and prone to deadlock.
Furthermore, the Articles of Confederation did not provide for a president with veto power. Instead, decisions had to be made by a supermajority of nine out of thirteen states. This lack of a centralized executive authority made it difficult to enforce laws or implement changes effectively.
In contrast, by drafting a new governing document, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention had the opportunity to address these shortcomings. They were able to create a stronger central government with more balanced powers and a stronger executive branch. This allowed for a more efficient decision-making process and greater unity among the states.
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention found it easier to draft a new governing document than to amend the Articles of Confederation for several reasons. One of the reasons was that under the Articles, amendments had to be approved by all thirteen states. This meant that even if a majority of the states were in favor of a particular amendment, a single state could block the amendment from being ratified. This requirement made the amendment process lengthy and difficult because it was often challenging to get all thirteen states to agree on a particular issue.
Furthermore, under the Articles of Confederation, the president did not have the power to introduce amendments. Only the states could propose amendments, which then had to be ratified by all thirteen states. This limited the ability to make necessary changes to the existing system.
Comparatively, drafting a new governing document, which eventually became the United States Constitution, provided the delegates with a fresh start and the opportunity to create a more efficient and effective system of government. By starting from scratch, they were able to address the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation and design a stronger central government with a better balance of power between the states and the federal government. It allowed them to address issues such as representation, the separation of powers, and the relationship between the federal government and the states in a comprehensive manner. Overall, the delegates found it easier and more effective to draft a new governing document rather than attempting to amend the Articles of Confederation.