how well did the constitution deal with the problems of creating a new government for the USA?

factors

1. balance of power

2. states v federal rights

3. slavery

argument in every paragraph

not very well in the long term

balance of power: success

• Presidency became an 'elected monarch' so more powerful than George Ill and could deal with problems

• Congress could check the president, president could veto congress, supreme court could declare laws unconstitutional, so prevents one being dominant

• Stronger federal government could deal with problems (tax, war, foreign treaties, ending revolts)

balance of powers: failure

• Many feared elective dictatorship from an elected monarch and it hadn't been what the revolution had been for BUT Bill of Rights helped

• In reality it meant that instead of compromise and cooperation it often ended in stalemate and nothing got done

well or bad: balance of power

well, although some strong executive, the system of checks and balances e.g. elected president or separated powers dominate strong framework accountability outweighed fears, especially after British rule

states v federal rights: success

• Senate (2 each) made the small states happy and congress (population) made the larger states happy

• All represented

states v federal rights: failure

• 1787 Great Compromise between states and federal government was not clear and would lead to conflict in the future Logjams in legislation

• This would also contribute to civil war and be the subject of supreme court legislation

well or badly: states v federal rights

badly while the 1787 great compromise gave some balance, tens between state and the federal government especially over law and tax remain on result. Fragile balance failed to prevent long-term divisions equal negative weight early attempts at unity.

slavery: success

• They avoided a civil war over the issue 3/5 compromise and fugitive slave provisions calmed the south

• Slavery not mentioned in the constitution

slavery: failure

• This civil war was only postponed for around 70 years

• Jefferson described it as the 'fireball in the night' Slave trading was allowed to continue for 20 years Contradiction with declaration of independence

• Slavery not mentioned in the constitution

well or badly: slavery

badly the 3/5 compromise kept self in the union, it was a short-term fix. By avoiding the issues entirely in the constitution, a deep and sectional division. The decision to preserve slavery for unity came at the cost of future conflict failure to deal with it properly out ways