Principal definition us history free#

Virginia Plan - The Virginia plan was written by James Madison. There were two primary competing plans for the Constitution: To avoid too much power being held by one person or group, they created the Balance of Power between the three branches of government: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.

Principal definition us history free#

A lot of the debate was held in secret so that the delegates would feel free to speak their minds.Ī primary aim of the Constitution was to create a government that would be powerful enough to run the country, but would not impose on people's or state's rights. After some debate it became apparent to the representatives that a new Constitution was needed. In May of 1787 the Constitutional Convention gathered to discuss changes to the Articles of the Confederation. The government became too weak and a new constitution was needed. Debts to foreign countries weren't being paid. The army wasn't being paid and was deserting. The main issue was that the government had no money or way to get money under the Articles. The Articles of Confederation had issues, however. The first Constitution was called the Articles of Confederation, which was ratified in 1781. However, it also protects the citizens of the United States and guarantees their basic rights. The Constitution creates the branches of government and gives them the power to govern. It is the highest form of law in the country. The Constitution is the framework for the federal government of the United States.