Historical Essay

Compare and contrast the Articles of Confederation with the new  Constitution of 1787. What were the strengths and weaknesses of the  Articles vis-à-vis the Constitution? Give specific instances that  demonstrate the weakness of the Articles (such as the Western problem).

Then analyze the drafting of the Constitution, using specific details  to show how the various states (slave vs. free, east vs. west)  compromised in order to effectively draft a constitution. Pay particular  attention to Roger Sherman's plan, the Great Compromise, which broke a  stalemate that could have been fatal to the development of the new  Constitution.

Finally, compare and contrast the debate over ratification between  the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. Make sure you cite specific  examples from the Federalist Papers to support the Federalist position  and contrast it with leading proponents of the opposition (such as John  Hancock). Analyze how the debate over a bill of rights illustrates the  differences between the two parties. Evaluate the relative success of  the Bill of Rights in achieving an effective balance between national  and states' interests.

This paper must be four to five double-spaced pages in length (not  including the References page) and utilize no less than four academic  quality sources. Margins should be no more than one inch (right and  left) and the essay should be composed in an appropriate font and size.  Sources must be documented and cited using APA format.