July 12, 1776 – The first draft of the Articles of Confederation was presented to the Continental Congress. November 15, 1777 – The Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation.

Altogether, six drafts of the Articles were prepared before Congress settled on a final version in 1777. Benjamin Franklin wrote the first and presented it to Congress in July 1775.

Ultimately, the Articles of Confederation failed because they were crafted to keep the national government as weak as possible: There was no power to enforce laws. No judicial branch or national courts. Amendments needed to have a unanimous vote.

Weaknesses

• Each state only had one vote in Congress, regardless of size.
• Congress did not have the power to tax.
• Congress did not have the power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce.
• There was no executive branch to enforce any acts passed by Congress.
• There was no national court system or judicial branch.

The central government couldn’t collect taxes to fund its operations. The Confederation relied on the voluntary efforts of the states to send tax money to the central government. Lacking funds, the central government couldn’t maintain an effective military or back its own paper currency.

The difference between the Articles of Confederation and Constitution is that the Articles of Confederation are the rules that were agreed by the United States of America in the 18th century whereas the constitution is the rules that democratic countries and other legalized institutions develop to implement law and …

The Preamble is an explanation why the Constitution was written, and the major goals it hopes to accomplish. The single most important part of the Preamble is the first three words, “We the people…” which point out where our government receives its authority from, the people that are governed.

Its self-correcting and self-regulating nature made possible through amendments, the constitutional supremacy it embraces, the bill of rights, the separation of powers and its simplicity of design are major strengths of the constitution. The Constitution is a timeless document due to the adaptability of its nature.

Disadvantages of a rigid constitution include:

• It doesn’t keep pace with the fast-changing social environment.
• It hinders the process of social development because of its inability to change easily.
• It is a source of hindrance during emergencies.
• Its inability to change easily can lead to revolts against the government.

An uncodified constitution has the advantages of elasticity, adaptability and resilience. A significant disadvantage, however, is that controversies may arise due to different understandings of the usages and customs which form the fundamental provisions of the constitution.