There were a lot of conflicting land claims that would have eventually led to chaos--including a bunch of chaotic little mini-states on the western side of the Appalachians. Think Moderators and Regulators written large and going on and on. The Indians would have probably gotten screwed over in the eastern US even more thoroughly than they were historically because there wouldn't be any authority to even theoretically and sporadically keep settlers off their land.
But Dale, the conflicting land claims you look at as a potential powder keg that only the Constitution could solve...were almost entirely solved prior to the adoption of the Constitution. Several were solved years and years before hand.
You guys singularly under-estimate the ability of the confederation to stick together. Your ideas of post-war chaos are overblown and, not surprisingly, heavily influenced by Federalist political propaganda. Remember, just because it was written a long time ago doesn't mean it's a valid historical source
The US was in a dangerous position in the 1780's, most notably because of the absolute chaos the economy was in because of the post-war hyperinflation, but this need not be a permanent state. In fact, the very historical course of events demonstrates that it is
possible for the country to turn around. All that's left is to determine whether the historical course of events was
necessary to the turn around. Can the hyperinflation be addressed without an incorporated Federal government? Can the states address inter-state disputes without an incorporated Federal government?
These are questions that need to be addressed to properly answer this question, rather than simply assuming we have the answer and dismissing further investigation as un-necessary. Perhaps the reason so many topics like this get made is that it has never been properly addressed or thoroughly explored.