How was the U.S. Constitution different from the Articles of Confederation?
(1 point)
Responses
A The U.S. Constitution set up the first form of government for the newly independent United States.
The U.S. Constitution set up the first form of government for the newly independent United States.
B The U.S. Constitution allowed for each state to have an equal vote in Congress regardless of size or population.
The U.S. Constitution allowed for each state to have an equal vote in Congress regardless of size or population.
C The U.S. Constitution separated powers between the judicial, legislative, and executive branches.
The U.S. Constitution separated powers between the judicial, legislative, and executive branches.
D The U.S. Constitution had only one branch, a unicameral legislature that had limited power.
C The U.S. Constitution separated powers between the judicial, legislative, and executive branches.
The correct answer is C. The U.S. Constitution separated powers between the judicial, legislative, and executive branches.
To understand the differences between the U.S. Constitution and the Articles of Confederation, it is important to know what each document was. The Articles of Confederation served as the first constitution of the United States, established in 1781. However, it was highly ineffective in creating a strong central government.
The U.S. Constitution, on the other hand, was created in 1787 as a replacement for the Articles of Confederation. It aimed to establish a stronger central government while still protecting the rights of individual states and citizens. The Constitution introduced several significant changes, one of which is the separation of powers.
The principle of separation of powers involves dividing the functions and responsibilities of government into three separate branches: the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch. This separation ensures that no single branch has unchecked power and allows for a system of checks and balances.
The Articles of Confederation, in contrast, did not contain such a separation of powers. It had a single branch, a unicameral legislature known as the Continental Congress, which lacked significant power. The lack of separate branches and checks and balances made it difficult for the government to effectively govern and make decisions.
Therefore, the U.S. Constitution differed from the Articles of Confederation in that it introduced the separation of powers between the judicial, legislative, and executive branches.