Amendments and the Constitution

             Although the United States Constitution attempted to redress major flaws in the Articles of Confederation; such, as the weak federal government and the absence of citizens rights, some issues including slavery were left unresolved and led to the conflict over states rights to have slavery. .
             To strengthen a weak federal government, the constitution suggested a three branch government called "the separation of powers." The three branches were called the legislative, executive, and judicial. They shared power and had their own responsibilities. The legislative branch, congress, would have two chambers, the senators and the house of representatives. The number of members per state in the house of representatives is based on population, however, each state has only two representatives in the senate. Congress has the power to collect taxes, coin money, establish the postal service, declare war, and maintain an army and navy. The executive branch, led by the president, would have the power to veto acts of congress. The president is the chief of the executive branch and he is the commander and chief of the army and navy of the United States. He may negotiate treaties and nominate federal officials. The supreme court resided over all the land and overpowered the state courts. Finally, this federal structure which split power between the states and the nation, and the system of "checks and balances" were devised to ameliorate our ailing national government, but most importantly, to protect the people from the tyrannical government it feared. .
             The United States Constitution attempted to adjust the lack of citizen's rights in the Articles of the Confederation. In Article IV, all the rights that were stated include "privileges and immunities" of "free inhabitants," with the exception of "paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives." Only free inhabitants have free "ingress and regress" to other states and the right to trade.