Why were the Articles of Confederation so concerned with equality?
The Articles of Confederation, the first governing document of the United States, were concerned with equality for several reasons:
1. Fear of a powerful central government: The Articles of Confederation were created in response to the oppressive rule of the British monarchy during the American Revolution. The Founding Fathers wanted to ensure that the new government would not become too strong, as they had experienced firsthand the dangers of centralized power. Therefore, the Articles aimed to establish a system where power was decentralized, and each state had an equal voice.
2. Concerns over individual state sovereignty: The states that initially formed the United States were diverse in terms of size, population, and economic strength. Smaller states were worried that larger states would dominate the decision-making process in a centralized government. Therefore, the Articles attempted to maintain equality among the states by granting each state one vote in Congress, regardless of its size or population.
3. Desire to protect individual rights: The Founding Fathers believed in the principles of individual liberty and natural rights. They wanted to ensure that the government would not infringe upon the rights of individuals, which required a system that ensured equality among citizens. The Articles of Confederation limited the powers of the national government, aiming to prevent it from interfering in the affairs of individual states or individuals.
However, the pursuit of equality in the Articles of Confederation resulted in a weak central government, which eventually proved to be ineffective in governing the nation. This led to the drafting and adoption of the U.S. Constitution in 1787, which created a more robust and balanced system of government.
The Articles of Confederation, adopted in 1781, were the first constitution of the United States. One of the reasons why the Articles of Confederation emphasized equality was due to the influence of Enlightenment ideas on the founding fathers. The Enlightenment was a philosophical and intellectual movement of the 18th century that championed the principles of reason, liberty, and equality.
The founding fathers, including Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, were heavily influenced by Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke and Montesquieu. These thinkers argued for the recognition of natural rights and the idea that all individuals are inherently equal.
The concern with equality in the Articles of Confederation can be seen in several provisions. For example, each state had an equal vote in the unicameral legislature called the Continental Congress, regardless of population. This was done to ensure that no state would dominate the others and that each state would have an equal voice in decision-making.
Furthermore, the Articles of Confederation limited the power of the central government, emphasizing the autonomy of the individual states. This was seen as a way to prevent any one state from becoming too powerful, thereby promoting a more equal distribution of power among the states.
Overall, the focus on equality in the Articles of Confederation reflected the founding fathers' belief in the importance of restraining the power of the government and ensuring fair representation for all states, regardless of their size or population.