That was the Articles of Confederation more than anything. The current federal government was meant to be strong after the fiascoes of the AC. And the Founders,

That was the Articles of Confederation more than anything. The current federal government was meant to be strong after the fiascoes of the AC. And the Founders, once they were in power, almost universally worked towards a stronger federal government and concentrating power. I mean, Jefferson purchased Louisiana from Napoleon unilaterally without consulting congress; maybe the most massively illegal abuse of power in the history of the US.