Articles of Confederation with the new Constitution of 1787. We will see what were the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles vis-a-vis the Constitution and give specific instances that demonstrate the weakness of the Articles, in particular its financial issues.

Default and debt is an American tradition and it was initiated with gusto in the days following the Revolution when Dutch and French holders of American bonds found it impossible to get regular payments on the Continental notes that they held. Additionally, depression had struck the new nation in by the mid-1780s, raising questions arose about the nature of American democracy and the ability of the new government to function. Conservatives believed that the answer the nation's problems lay in a stronger national government. Most radicals believed it was up to the states to relieve the financial burden of the people. These sentiments fostered a movement for a new constitution....
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