What was one of the major flaws of the Constitution?

Asked by: Maybelle McCullough  |  Last update: July 18, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (18 votes)

It brilliantly articulated the idea of fundamental equality — human equality. It beautifully articulated the notion that government's power flows from the people, and that government serves the people. But it was fundamentally flawed in preserving and propping up slavery, that ultimate form of inequality.

What were the flaws of the Constitution?

It is no secret that the Constitution signed on that fateful day of September 17, 1787 was highly flawed. It denied women and minorities, especially black individuals, their basic human rights for decades to come. It protected slavery. It denied civil liberties that should have been guaranteed to all.

What was the biggest flaw in the Constitution?

The Constitution's biggest flaw was in protecting the institution of slavery. Many constitutional provisions did this. Article 1, Section 9, prohibits Congress from banning the importation of slaves until 1808, and Article 5 prohibited this from being amended.

What were the 3 major issues at the Constitution?

Debates erupted over representation in Congress, over slavery, and over the new executive branch.

What were the 3 major reasons against the Constitution?

Anti-Federalists were concerned about excessive power of national government
  • the excessive power of the national government at the expense of the state government;
  • the disguised monarchic powers of the president;
  • apprehensions about a federal court system and its control over the states;

The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism: Crash Course US History #8

19 related questions found

What was a major criticism of the Constitution?

Five of their most significant objections to the Constitution are summarized in the excerpts that follow: that replacement of the Articles of Confederation was unnecessary; that the new government would give rise to a privileged aristocracy; that a stronger central government would obliterate the states; that a large, ...

What was a major problem in the first Constitution?

With the passage of time, weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation became apparent; Congress commanded little respect and no support from state governments anxious to maintain their power. Congress could not raise funds, regulate trade, or conduct foreign policy without the voluntary agreement of the states.

What was the main issue of the Constitution?

A chief aim of the Constitution as drafted by the Convention was to create a government with enough power to act on a national level, but without so much power that fundamental rights would be at risk.

What were the biggest disagreements for and against the Constitution?

How the Articles of Confederation failed and delegates met to create a new constitution. The major debates were over representation in Congress, the powers of the president, how to elect the president (Electoral College), slave trade, and a bill of rights.

What was seen as the flaw in the Articles of Confederation?

Economic Disorganization. The first flaw of the Articles of Confederation was its economic disorganization which led to financial hardship for the emerging nation. By the late 1780s, America was struggling to compete economically and pay off the debts it accumulated in its fight for independence.

What is one weakness of the Constitution?

Overall, while the Constitution has many strengths, its amendment process and inflexibility can be considered significant weaknesses that impede its ability to effectively adapt to the changing needs of the American people.

Which word is never used in the U.S. Constitution?

Final answer:

The word slavery is the only term among the options that is never used in the U.S. Constitution. Instead, the Constitution refers to enslaved individuals using euphemisms. Key terms like people and justice are used frequently, while amendment pertains to constitutional changes.

What is constitutional weakness?

Advocates of weak constitutionalism are concerned about the risk of tyranny by some powerful minority, and argue that the last word on the content of constitutional values and principles should be 'in the hands of a majoritarian body: namely, the people'.

What was one of the major concerns of those opposed to the Constitution?

While the Federalists argued for a stronger national government, the Anti-Federalists defended a vision of America rooted in powerful states. The Anti-Federalists feared that the new Constitution gave the national government too much power.

What word is spelled incorrectly in the preamble?

There are no words that are spelled incorrectly in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. The word 'defence' is spelled with a 'c' but that is not a mistake. It is the accepted British spelling of the word 'defense. ' So while it is not the American version of the spelling, it is an accepted way to spell the word.

What was the strongest criticism of the New Constitution?

The Supremacy Clause generated significant controversy during debates over the Constitution's ratification. Anti-Federalist opponents of the Constitution argued that the Clause would make the national government overly powerful and infringe on state sovereignty. The stridency of these criticisms varied.

What was one argument against the Constitution?

One faction opposed the Constitution because they thought stronger government threatened the sovereignty of the states. Others argued that a new centralized government would have all the characteristics of the despotism of Great Britain they had fought so hard to remove themselves from.

What was the most serious criticism against the Constitution?

It lacked a bill of rights for the people. Not all colonists favored the Constitution. The government did not have the power to enforce it.

What was the biggest problem at the Constitutional Convention?

Federal Powers. A central issue at the Convention was whether the federal government or the states would have more power. Many delegates believed that the federal government should be able to overrule state laws, but others feared that a strong federal government would oppress their citizens.

What was the Constitution's greatest flaw?

It brilliantly articulated the idea of fundamental equality — human equality. It beautifully articulated the notion that government's power flows from the people, and that government serves the people. But it was fundamentally flawed in preserving and propping up slavery, that ultimate form of inequality.

What were the flaws in the original Constitution?

2. The central government was designed to be very, very weak. The Articles established “the United States of America” as a perpetual union formed to defend the states as a group, but it provided few central powers beyond that. But it didn't have an executive official or judicial branch.

What was the first main problem with the Constitution?

The Anti-Federalists fought hard against the Constitution because it created a powerful central government that reminded them of the one they had just overthrown, and it lacked a bill of rights.

What was one major flaw of the first Constitution was that the government it created?

One of the biggest problems was that the national government had no power to impose taxes. To avoid any perception of “taxation without representation,” the Articles of Confederation allowed only state governments to levy taxes. To pay for its expenses, the national government had to request money from the states.

Why did the first US Constitution fail?

The national “government” created by the Articles was unable to fulfill its own meager responsibilities, as it was hampered by a super-majoritarian decision-making process, lacked any direct executive authority, and relied on the fickle state governments for the resources it required.

Why was it very difficult to get laws passed?

The framers deliberately made it hard for Congress to make law because they were giving Congress all sorts of new powers that it didn't have under the Articles of Confederation, and they wanted to protect the states and protect federalism by making it hard for Congress to make law.