Pros And Cons Of The Articles Of Confederation

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Due to Shays Rebellion, fear extended throughout the colonies that the government under the articles of confederation was losing its grasp on authority. In September of 1786, James Madison and a group of Virginians convinced the confederation congress to permit a meeting of delegates at Maryland to try to revise the power of the Articles. After the meeting, delegates decided to host another meeting in Philadelphia in May of 1787, to solely discuss the purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation. The fifty-five men who amassed at Philadelphia for the constitutional convention concluded that the Articles of Confederation had serious weaknesses Throughout the following months, the states organized special conventions to ratify of reject the new plan for a federal government. The federal convention that drafted the constitution took place in secrecy. This enabled the men to freely explore alternatives; they did not speak to anyone about their …show more content…

He argues that the ones who represent the house should resemble those they represent and that “The number of representatives should be so large, as that, while it embraces the men of the first class, it should admit those of the middling class of life”. They should possess the knowledge to comprehend extensive political and commercial information, as well as, the common concerns and occupations of the people. Alexander Hamilton, a Federalist, argues that “a pure democracy, if it were practicable, would be the most perfect government”. He questions on the remark made, that more representatives are necessary to obtain confidence of the people. He claims that remark is not true, that confidence depends on the circumstances very distinct from considerations of number. He finishes of explaining that only these interests are proper to be represented and involved in the powers of the federal

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