In this lecture, Dr. Totten argues the Articles of Confederation government was extremely weak and unable to deal with the massive debt and competing interests of states following the American Revolutionary War. The founding generation believed in a concept of "republicanism" that stressed the dichotomy of liberty and power, virtue and luxury that competed in every government. Due to this political ideology, the new governments wanted to limit centralized authority and empower the states with the majority of rights. As issues compounded due to the lack of power, elites believed a new governing document was necessary in order to ensure the success of the American republic. As a result, the constitutional convention was called in order to create a functioning government capable of solving the nation's problems.

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