Jonah Patel
The US Constitution is considered by many to be the ultimate fulfillment of the American Revolution's democratic ideals, translating them into reality for all Americans. However, it is important to note that there were discrepancies between the beliefs of the Revolution's leaders and the government established by the Constitution. The Constitution, ratified by each state separately, created a powerful central government that some Anti-Federalists opposed due to its similarities to the one they had overthrown. The question of whether the Constitution truly aligned with the philosophy of the American Revolution is a complex one, requiring an examination of the powers granted to the President and the differences between state constitutions and the ideals espoused during the Revolution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| The Constitution was the ultimate ideological fulfillment of the goals of the American Revolution | The Constitution was not a complete ideological fulfillment of the American Revolution |
| The Constitution brought the philosophy of the American Revolution to life | The Constitution had discrepancies with the ideals of the leaders of the Revolution |
| The state constitutions that emerged during the Revolution differed from the strong, central government formed by the US Constitution | The US Constitution was ratified separately by each state |
| The US Constitution created a powerful central government | The US Constitution lacked a bill of rights |
| The US Constitution was the culmination of the Revolution | The US Constitution was a reaction to the Revolution |
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What You'll Learn
The Commander-in-Chief power
The Commander-in-Chief clause, outlined in Article II, Section 2 of the US Constitution, grants the President of the United States the power to command the country's military forces and conduct war. This clause states that:
> The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States.
The Commander-in-Chief clause has been a subject of debate and interpretation. Some argue that it gives the President substantial independent authority to direct military operations as long as they do not infringe on the exclusive powers of Congress or other constitutional provisions. However, the scope of this power has been contested, with cases like Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer (1952) and Milligan challenging the President's authority during wartime and the use of military commissions to try civilians, respectively.
The creation of the Commander-in-Chief power was influenced by General George Washington's leadership during the Revolutionary War. Washington, named commander-in-chief of the colonial forces in 1775, played a pivotal role in leading the colonists to victory over the British. After the war, he helped assemble the Constitutional Convention in 1787, recognising the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation in governing the young nation. The Framers of the Constitution observed Washington's leadership and granted the President the Commander-in-Chief power, understanding the importance of unified command in military operations.
While the Commander-in-Chief power established a strong central authority, it also introduced discrepancies between the ideals of the American Revolution and the reality of the government formed by the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists, in particular, opposed the Constitution as it reminded them of the centralised power they had just overthrown. The Commander-in-Chief power, along with the veto and pardon powers, contributed to a perception of a powerful President, deviating from the decentralised ideals that some Revolutionary leaders envisioned.
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The veto power
The Founding Fathers, having just fought a war to escape the tyranny of a monarch, were keen to ensure that no single branch of government could become too powerful. The veto power is a key part of this, as it gives the President the ability to act as a bulwark against potential Congressional overreach. This power is not absolute, however, as Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both houses, ensuring that the President cannot become a tyrant either.
In conclusion, the veto power is a crucial aspect of the US Constitution and directly reflects the ideals of the American Revolution. It provides a check on Congressional power, prevents tyranny, encourages thoughtful lawmaking, and helps maintain the balance of power between the different branches of government, all while protecting the rights of citizens.
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The power to pardon
While the US Constitution is considered by many to be the ultimate ideological fulfillment of the goals of the American Revolution, there are discrepancies between the ideals of the Revolution and the government that was created by the Constitution. One of the presidential powers that highlight these discrepancies is the power to pardon.
The inclusion of pardon power in the US Constitution is outlined in Article II, Section 2, Clause 1, which states that the President "shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment." This power has been exercised by presidents throughout history, with George Washington first using it in 1795 to grant amnesty to those involved in the Whiskey Rebellion.
The pardon power is not without its limitations and controversies. There are restrictions on the president's ability to pardon in cases of impeachment, and it is debated whether a president can pardon themselves (self-pardon). Critics, including Anti-Federalists, have argued that pardons have been used more for political expediency than to correct judicial errors, with some pardons being highly controversial, such as Andrew Johnson's pardon of former Confederate officials after the Civil War.
In conclusion, while the power to pardon is a presidential right outlined in the US Constitution, it has been a source of debate and controversy. The limitations and appropriate use of this power continue to be discussed and interpreted, with legal professionals and scholars offering varying opinions on its constitutionality and restrictions.
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The Federalists' strong central government
The Federalists, a coalition of nationalists led by George Washington, advocated for a strong central government. They believed that a powerful central government was necessary to address the nation's challenges and prevent its collapse. This view was shaped by the weaknesses of the country's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress rule-making and funding powers but lacked enforcement powers and the ability to regulate commerce or print money.
Alexander Hamilton, one of the leading Federalists, proposed his ideal plan of government on June 18, which included funding the national and state debts, establishing a national bank, and providing heavy government subsidies. Hamilton, along with John Jay and James Madison, wrote a series of 85 essays under the pseudonym "Publius," known as The Federalist Papers, to defend the new Constitution and persuade the public of the need for a strong central government.
The Federalist Party, formed in 1791, supported Hamilton's vision and promoted specific economic policies. They advocated for funding the Revolutionary War debt, assuming state debts, creating excise laws, establishing a central bank, maintaining a tariff system, and supporting American shipping. They also maintained a neutral stance in the war between France and Great Britain. The Federalists found support in cities, businessmen, bankers, merchants, and New Englanders, while the opposing Anti-Federalists, who favoured a weaker central government, were mostly farmers from frontier regions.
The Federalists' belief in a strong central government was driven by their desire to defend the social gains of the Revolution and safeguard the liberty and independence brought about by the American Revolution. They saw the Constitution as a means to achieve this, despite the discrepancies between the ideals of the Revolution and the powerful central government it created.
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The Anti-Federalists' opposition
The Anti-Federalists were a late-18th-century political movement that opposed the creation of a stronger US federal government and the ratification of the 1787 Constitution. Led by Patrick Henry of Virginia, Anti-Federalists were a loose political coalition of popular politicians, small farmers and landowners, shopkeepers, and labourers. They believed that the position of president, then a novelty, might evolve into a monarchy, and that the strong national government proposed by the Federalists was a threat to the rights of individuals. They were wary of centralized power and loyal to their states, advocating for a more decentralized form of government with greater protections for individual rights and stronger representation for the states. They were against the federal court system created by the proposed constitution.
Anti-Federalists were chiefly concerned with too much power being invested in the national government at the expense of the states. They believed that the Constitution, as drafted, would lead to a loss of individual liberties, an erosion of state sovereignty, and the potential for the rise of tyranny. They were the first in the long line of states' rights advocates, fearing the authority of a single national government, upper-class dominance, inadequate separation of powers, and the loss of immediate control over local affairs. They wanted strong state governments, short term limits for officeholders, accountability by officeholders to popular majorities, and the strengthening of individual liberties.
Anti-Federalists were strong in the key states of Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia. In North Carolina and Rhode Island, they prevented the ratification of the Constitution until after the new government had been established. Their opposition was an important factor leading to the adoption of the First Amendment and the other nine amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights. The Anti-Federalists' influence helped lead to the passage of the Bill of Rights to protect Americans' civil liberties. James Madison, a Federalist at the time and the primary architect of the Constitution, introduced draft proposals of what would become the first ten amendments of the United States Constitution and advocated for their passage.
The Anti-Federalists' arguments influenced the formation of the Bill of Rights. In response to their demands for a bill of rights to guarantee specific liberties, the Federalists agreed to consider amendments to be added to the new Constitution. This helped assuage critics and ensure that the Constitution would be successfully ratified. The Anti-Federalists in 1791 became the nucleus of the Jeffersonian Republican Party (subsequently Democratic-Republican, finally Democratic) as strict constructionists of the new Constitution and in opposition to a strong national fiscal policy.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution is considered by some to be the ultimate ideological fulfillment of the goals of the American Revolution. However, there are discrepancies between what the leaders of the Revolution believed and the government that was created by the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists opposed the Constitution as it created a powerful central government, similar to the one that had just been overthrown, and it lacked a bill of rights.
The provisions in the new state constitutions that emerged during the Revolution and the ideas found in the speeches and writings of Anti-Federalist leaders from each state differ greatly from the strong, central government formed by the Constitution. The Revolutionary ideals of the equality of mankind, the consent of the governed, and the obligation of a government to serve the people were not fully reflected in the Constitution.
A few years after the Revolutionary War, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared that their young country was on the brink of collapse due to disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade. America’s first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money.
Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organize a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, and the Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates, creating a powerful central government.
