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For what reasons might some Americans have wanted a weak central government after gaining their independence?
What were the positive and negative consequences of a weak national government? First of all, the states did not originally intend to create one nation as is apparent when they called themselves a "league of friendship". By having a weak national government they could remain separate states while maintaining good relations with each other and the rest of the world. Some form of central government was also necessary to win the war, but that did not mean it needed to be a strong one that could turn around and abuse the powers it was given. A weak government cannot abuse powers not given, and thus there would be no repeat of the colonist's experience with British rule. Also the colonists feared that some states would dominate in a national government and majority tyranny would result through representation, expenses, and territorial claims. The supporters of such a weak government thought that, theoretically, if most power was left to the states, classical republican society could continue to flourish throughout the nation because governmental communities would remain smaller and more personalized. Many of the founders realized that government will eventually corrupt and end ( Greece, Britain). Perhaps by having a weak central government they would prevent great corruption and if the government did become corrupt it could only affect the states and the people to a small extent. However this did not turn out as planned. By taking it to such an extreme they found that the national government could not perform even the simplest of tasks. They could not tax; thus, they could not look out for national finances and debt. They also had neither money nor authority to create a national defense system. Without the money it required, it also could not pay soldiers for their time in the Revolutionary War, leading to debt for many soldiers and eventually to Shays' Rebellion. A weak national government may be able to make agreements with foreign nations but in the case of the Article of Confederation, it could not force the states to comply, causing other nations to refuse to trade. A weak national government practically cannot regulate anything of importance, including trade or laws made. This creates conflict throughout the states over import/export taxes, ruins the economy, and prevents important national laws from being obeyed. This weak government also gave state governments too much power to do what they wanted. In the case of the Articles of Confederation the government was nothing more than a thin farce designed to make the states look like a legitimate government while actually doing no good to unite them in the least.
What else can I help you with?
What were some of the challenges that Americans faced in shaping a new government?
Americans faced significant challenges in shaping a new government after gaining independence, including the need to balance state and federal powers while ensuring representation for diverse interests. The Articles of Confederation proved inadequate, leading to issues such as economic instability and lack of central authority to regulate trade or enforce laws. Additionally, deep divisions emerged over issues like slavery and the extent of popular sovereignty, complicating consensus-building during the Constitutional Convention. These challenges underscored the difficulties of creating a stable and effective governance framework that could unify the newly formed nation.
What kinds of powers should be held by the states alone?
According to the US Constitution, all powers not granted to the Federal government are left to the States to decide upon. This measure helped to prevent the central government from gaining too much power.
Which of the following describes a similarity between the British colonies in India and Palestine during the Cold War?
After gaining independence, territory in both former colonies was divided due to religious conflicts.
How did southern states keep African-Americans from gaining political power?
The Southern states kept African Americans from gaining political power by denying them an education. They also passed laws to keep them down. They were not allowed to own property and most of them could not read or write.
A system of and balances prevents each branch of government from gaining too much power?
Checks and balances
What form of government did Egypt adopt after gaining its independence?
constitutional monarchy
Was the articles of confederacy written after gaining independence?
I think it is articles of confederation and it was after gaining independence.
It was fair for the British government to tax the Americans in order to pay for soldiers who were protecting the American colonies?
It would have been fair because as you state they were the "colonies", i.e., still British territory, before gaining independence as the USA.
What is occurred in some countries after gaining independence?
Some countries have had a civil war shortly after gaining independence from a foreign power.
The gaining of Mexican Independence was important to?
the gaining of Mexican independence was important inAllowing trade along santa fe trail
What was gaining independence how did most African nations set up their government?
Africa is a continent so you need to ask about a particular country.
What problems did Africans face after gaining independence?
A lot of country's didn't have leaders with experience and had a hard time building a stable government.
What was the last event in Prussia gaining independence?
The question is puzzling as the reference to 'Prussia gaining independence' suggests that Prussia was under foreign rule, which was not the case.
Nationalism in the Balkans in the late 19th century led to a number of nations gaining their independence from what empire?
It led to nations gaining their independence from the Ottoman Empire.
Why did India form a government like Britain's after gaining independence?
The government of the new nation of india was set up as a parlimentary democracy, similar to governments in Britain, Germany, and other western nations.
What country is interested gaining independence from Canada?
quebec
Is Chad still a country?
From gaining Independence from France.
