Getting to Union

Navigating Differences in the Constitutional Convention

Part I. Citizens of Our Fragile New Country were Deeply Divided by Their Differences.

Part I. Step 2: Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Watch the video to learn about how the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation led to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

While watching the video, write the answers to these questions on your own paper:

  1. Why did it look likely that the new United States would fail?
  2. Why did veterans who fought in the Continental Army, like Alexander Hamilton, have a national understanding of the United States instead of thinking of it as a confederation of independent states?
  3. What were the problems that Alexander Hamilton saw in the Articles of Confederation?
  4. Why did Washington want to replace the Articles of Confederation?
  5. What did James Madison’s Virginia Plan propose?
Proceed to Part I. Step 3.