Ask any American to list some of the rights they have in this country, and they"ll start naming things like freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Where do all those freedoms come from? The United States Constitution and its Amendments, right? True, but first, there were the Articles of Confederation that were changed and strengthened to become the Constitution. The Articles of Confederation had to be revised because of three things: there was no judicial branch, the executive branch was lacking so much it might as well have not been there, and, under the Articles of Confederation, the government couldn't do things such as levy/collect taxes, regulate trade, and had no way to enforce the laws-all of which are necessary for a strong, effective government.
First of all, there was no judicial branch under the Articles of Confederation. The judiciary aspect of a government is important because it makes sure that everyone follows laws and doesn't violate the rights of people. What good would the U. S. Constitution be if we didn't even have to follow it? Also, the judicial branch wasn't just an idea or illusion that lasted for a short amount of time and then disappeared. It's still here today, in so many ways. For example, the Supreme Court-any time the rights of a citizen are violated or denied, they are the ones that decide if the rights were truly violated, and how to make the changes necessary to give back those rights.
However, what is needed to ensure the existence of a judicial branch? The executive branch-because the executive branch decides which laws are passed and which aren't. The Articles of Confederation had an executive branch, but it didn't really do much. It was simple almost to say a bill or law is passed, but does that mean people will follow it? Of course not-that's why there were three different branches of the government-to keep everything held together.
