The Critical Period: How Critical was It to American History?

The Critical Period was perhaps the most vulnerable, yet essential time frame in modern American history. While the American revolutionaries had fought for radical ideologies during the war, they were put to the ultimate test: being able to realistically apply their ideals to the creation of a governing body. The United States union could have disassembled, but chose to rise above and overcome the challenges that lay before it. Given the union's vulnerability at this time, this was a particularly problematic era; however, it also enjoyed some success: the affiliation between the states, formation of a written constitution, and the establishment of a national identity.

During the Critical Period, there was an internal power struggle between the state governments and the newly formed central government , with the states resisting the relinquishment of some of their power to the union. The central government couldn't function properly, as a result of lack of cooperation among the member states. Foreign powers became aware of this struggle, and exploited the union's weakness to their advantage. The foreign powers attempted to disunite the confederacy (particularly Britain and Spain), primarily through boundary disputes (the border of Vermont and Canada for instance) and treaty violations (i.e. the right of deposit agreement). By "attacking" the United States' at its most vulnerable state, these foreign powers were able to expand their influence in North America and essentially bully the country.

Due to the costly expenses of the Revolution, and despite the American's work-ethic and abundance of resources, the country entered into an economic depression. There was an increasing amount of state and individual debt, and a growing amount of domestic discontent by the working class. This depression further divided the American states into those who were debtors, and those who were creditors. The growing discontentment, along with the lack of proper leadership and government stability, fostered a threat of anarchy.

As a result, selected delegates from each state, met at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, to discuss possible changes, as this time, they had only intended on amending the Articles of Confederation and not establishing a new constitution. Several prominent individuals attended this convention, and three new constitutions were eventually proposed. The debate lasted for several months, and eventually, a compromise on the constitution was reached. Initially, it was only accepted by nine of the state conventions, but eventually, all came to accept, and embrace the new constitution. At this time, a newer, stronger union was born, and the United States emerged.