... show the people that a strong central government was needed. In basic structure, the Articles of Confederation were relatively simple. Since US statesmen had little trust in the arbitrary judges and monarchs of Britain, the Articles provided for no judicial or executive branch. The body of government was the Congress, comprising delegates from the thirteen states. Congress was a weak body, again ... reflecting the US's fear of monarchs as well as the independent heritage possessed by the separate colonies. Amendments could be made only by unanimous consent of all thirteen states--a rath...

• Word Count: 2120
• Approx Pages: 8

... of religious and ethnic backgrounds that have come to be associated with the United States and its citizens. Recalling lives of oppression under tyrannical monarchs of the Old World, the first American settlers sought to return the power of government to the people. In doing this, they laid the foundation for a revolutionary experiment in governing: democracy. The idealistic goal of fairness and ... rights to minorities. At the time of its introduction, the radical new form of government proposed by the first Americans contrasted sharply with the monarchies of the Old World, where polit...

• Word Count: 712
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate