Graphic Organizer: Articles of Confederation vs. Constitution 

Objectives:

• I can compare the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution.
• I can reflect on the powers that a national government must have to function effectively.

Directions: After carefully reviewing the data in Table 1, fill in Table 2 with your answers, and then address the Assess and Reflect questions. 

Table 1: Comparison of Governmental Powers 

	Articles of Confederation	Constitution
Power to coin money	Congress, with agreement of 9 states (Article 9)	Congress (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 5)
Power to borrow money on the credit of the United States	Congress, with agreement of 9 states (Article 9)	Congress (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 2)
Power to appropriate money for the defense of the United States	Congress, with agreement of 9 states (Article 9)	Congress (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 12)
Power to lay and collect taxes	Only the states	Congress (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1)
Power to declare war	(Article 9 permits Congress, with agreement of 9 states, to engage in war)	Congress (Congress (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 11)
Power to appoint commander in chief of the army and navy	Congress appoints, with agreement of 9 states (Article 9)	The Constitution names the President as commander in chief (Article 2, Section 2)
Power to appoint ambassadors	United States in Congress assembled (Article 9)	President, with advice and consent of the Senate (Article 2, Section 2)
Power to receive ambassadors	United States in Congress assembled (Article 9)	President (Article 2, Section 3)
Power to enter into treaties and alliances	Congress, with the agreement of 9 states (Article 9)	President, with advice and consent of the Senate -2/3rds vote (Article 2 Section 2)
Under what conditions can a state enter into treaties and alliances with other countries?	With consent by United States in Congress assembled (Article 6)	Never (Article 1 Section 10)
Power to regulate commerce	Only the states	Congress (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3)

 

Table 2: Comparison Exercise 

	Articles of Confederation	Constitution
Branch of government that holds the most power
Evidence of checks and balances
Treatment of state sovereignty
Power of national government

  

Assess and Reflect:

• Which of these documents better equips the government to carry out the purposes of government? Explain.
• What Founding principles were included in the creation of the Constitution that were missing from the Articles of Confederation? Choose at least two to discuss.
• How did the Constitution solve the problems of the Articles of Confederation?