Simone Lawson
The US Constitution was a remarkable document for its time, laying out a written constitution for a large republic based on popular rule. However, it was written by a small number of slave-owning, wealthy white men, and it is difficult to imagine how the founders could have produced a more democratic document given the social norms of the time.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Written by a small number of slave-owning, wealthy white men | Not democratic |
| Based on popular rule | Democratic |
| Written for its time | Not democratic |
| Included a process for citizens to amend it over time | Democratic |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution was a 'miracle' for its time
The Constitution was a miracle for its time.
The U.S. Constitution was a remarkable document for its time. It was the first written constitution for a large republic based on popular rule. The men who wrote it were steeped in cutting-edge political philosophy and displayed a thoughtful kind of genius. It is a document that was ahead of its time and a huge step forward for all of humankind.
The Constitution was written by a small number of slave-owning, wealthy white men. It is difficult to imagine how the founders could have produced a more democratic document given the social norms of the time. The political scientist Robert Dahl looked carefully at the question of how democratic the Constitution was and is.
The Constitution is so difficult to amend that we are governed by a slightly modified document written over two centuries ago. Had it been written in the 1830s or 1960s, it would undoubtedly be far more democratic in nature. However, the writers of the Constitution included a process for the citizens themselves to amend it over time. This was considered a government led by the citizens rather than a ruler or ruling class.
The founders themselves thought the Constitution was a miracle. We should not let go of that sense of the miraculous.
Thomas Jefferson's Role in the First Constitution
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The Constitution was written by a small number of slave-owning, wealthy white men
The Constitution was a remarkable document for its time, and the men who wrote it were steeped in cutting-edge political philosophy. They displayed a thoughtful kind of genius with respect to laying out a written constitution for a large republic based on popular rule. One can hardly overstate how important a step forward the U.S. Constitution was for all of humankind.
However, it is important to note that the Constitution was not democratic for all of its people from the beginning. The writers of the Constitution included a process for the citizens themselves to amend it over time. This was a significant step forward, as it allowed for the possibility of a more democratic government in the future.
The Constitution was a product of its time, and its writers were limited by the social norms and knowledge of that time. While it was a remarkable document that laid the foundation for a more democratic future, it is essential to recognise that it was not perfect and did not represent the interests of all people equally.
Checks and Balances: An American Invention?
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The Constitution was a step forward for humankind
The U.S. Constitution was a step forward for humankind. It was the first written constitution for a large republic based on popular rule. The founders of the Constitution were steeped in cutting-edge political philosophy and displayed a thoughtful kind of genius with respect to laying out a written constitution.
The Constitution was a product of its time, and its time was not a particularly democratic one. It was written by a small number of slave-owning, wealthy white men. However, the writers of the Constitution included a process for the citizens themselves to amend it over time. This was a remarkable achievement, given the social norms of the time.
The political scientist Robert Dahl looked carefully at the question of how democratic the Constitution was and is. Thomas Jefferson, who wrote to James Madison that “The earth belongs…to the living…the dead have neither powers nor rights over it”, also recognised that the Constitution is so difficult to amend.
Despite its flaws, the U.S. Constitution was a significant step forward for humankind. It laid the foundation for a democratic form of government and recognised the importance of popular rule.
The First Written Constitution: A Historical Overview
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The Constitution was not democratic for all of its people from the beginning
However, it is important to note that the Constitution was a remarkable achievement for its time. The founders were steeped in cutting-edge political philosophy and displayed a thoughtful kind of genius in laying out a written constitution for a large republic based on popular rule. This was a step forward for all of humankind, and the writers of the Constitution included a process for the citizens themselves to amend it over time.
Nevertheless, the Constitution fell short of true democracy in several ways. It was written by a small, unrepresentative group of men, and it did not extend equal rights and freedoms to all people. For example, the Constitution did not abolish slavery or grant equal rights to women.
In conclusion, while the Constitution was a significant step towards democracy, it was not democratic for all of its people from the beginning. It reflected the social norms and values of its time, which were not as inclusive and egalitarian as they are today.
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The Constitution was difficult to amend
The US Constitution was not particularly democratic when it was first written, but it was a step forward for humankind. The writers of the Constitution included a process for the citizens themselves to amend it over time. However, it is still difficult to amend.
The Constitution was written by a small number of slave-owning, wealthy white men. As such, it was not representative of the entire population. It is also a product of its time, and the writers did not have the benefit of all the knowledge we have about the world today.
The Constitution is difficult to amend because it requires a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress and ratification by three-quarters of the states. This is a high bar to meet, and it means that the Constitution has only been amended a handful of times since it was first written.
The difficulty in amending the Constitution has led to some criticism. Some people argue that because the Constitution is so difficult to amend, it is governed by a slightly modified document that does not reflect the current values and beliefs of the country.
However, others argue that the difficulty in amending the Constitution is a feature, not a bug. They believe that it helps to protect the rights and freedoms of the people by making it harder for the government to make changes that could limit those rights and freedoms.
Overall, while the Constitution was a remarkable achievement for its time, it is difficult to amend and this has led to some criticism.
California's First Constitution: Slavery's Legal Status
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Frequently asked questions
No, the US Constitution was not democratic when it was first written. It was written by a small number of slave-owning, wealthy white men. However, it was a remarkable step forward for humankind and was considered a government led by the citizens rather than a ruler or ruling class.
The men who wrote the Constitution were steeped in cutting-edge political philosophy and displayed a thoughtful kind of genius with respect to laying out a written constitution for a large republic based on popular rule.
The US Constitution has been amended over time by the citizens themselves. It would undoubtedly be more democratic if it had been written in the 1830s, 1960s or today.
