As depression struck the new nation in the mid-1780s, new questionsarose about the nature of American democracy. Many conservativesbelieved that the answer lay in a stronger national government. Mostradicals believed it was up to the states to relieve the financialburden of the people. These sentiments fostered a movement for a newconstitution. Political differences soon stimulated the creation ofpolitical parties.

Compare and contrast the Articles of Confederation with the newConstitution of 1787. What were the strengths and weaknesses of theArticles vis-à-vis the Constitution? Give specific instances thatdemonstrate the weakness of the Articles (such as the Western problem).

Then analyze the drafting of the Constitution, using specific detailsto show how the various states (slave vs. free, east vs. west)compromised in order to effectively draft a constitution. Pay particularattention to Roger Sherman’s plan, the Great Compromise, which broke astalemate that could have been fatal to the development of the newConstitution.

Finally, compare and contrast the debate over ratification betweenthe Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. Make sure you cite specificexamples from the Federalist Papers to support the Federalist positionand contrast it with leading proponents of the opposition (such as JohnHancock). Analyze how the debate over a bill of rights illustrates thedifferences between the two parties. Evaluate the relative success ofthe Bill of Rights in achieving an effective balance between nationaland states’ interests.

This paper must be four to five double-spaced pages in length (notincluding the References page) and utilize no less than four academicquality sources. Margins should be no more than one inch (right andleft) and the essay should be composed in an appropriate font and size.Sources must be documented and cited using APA format.