It happened as Northerners turned their attention to other issues.
Anti-federalists and most Americans were generally satisfied because the Articles focused more on the power the state governments held rather than the federal government. It was sort of what allowed states to print their own money, collect their very own taxes, etc.
From 1900 to 1917, muckrakers - influential journalists - worked to expose the injustices in the society. They raised awareness during the Progressive era regarding the social, political and economic problems as well.
In an indirect democracy, major laws and rules are made by elected representatives. This is because an indirect democracy is essentially a representative democracy. Elected officials represent the people in a representative democracy (indirect democracy), this means that they also make the major laws and rules.