DESIRES FOR A STRONGER CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
Many Americans viewed the flaws of the national government established by the Articles of Confederation with dismay. As Alexander Hamilton stated, the American Revolution had taught those living in the former colonies to think “continentally"; yet the government in existence did not foster continental thought or action. To many, a stronger national government was a necessity.
In 1787 delegates from the 13 states went to Philadelphia to amend the Articles of Confederation. Many of the great men of the age were present at this meeting, including Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin (John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were both in Europe during this convention). Debates quickly turned away from reforming the Articles of Confederation to creating a new national government. Most delegated believed that the central government had to be much stronger, with the ability to raise an army, collect taxes, and regulate commerce.
However, some delegates at the convention had doubts about how strong a new central government should actually be. They feared that too much power might fall into the hands of a small group, who would use it to their own advantage. In addition, small states and large states had very different ideas about how representation in a new national legislature should be determined. Smaller states favored the model provided by the Articles of Confederation with one vote per state; larger states proposed that population should determine representation. In addition, Southern and Northern states began to view each other suspiciously. Debates also took place over the future relationship of the national government to the various state governments.