Simone Lawson
The Founding Fathers of the United States, also known as the Founders, were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, and established the United States of America. They crafted a framework of government for the new nation, which was designed to limit government power and establish rules for each part of the government. The Founders disagreed with each other and had vast and profound differences. They debated vigorously about how the new government should be structured, with some fearing mob rule and most opposing direct democracy. The Founders wanted to make it difficult for any one person, party, or group to gain control of the government, so they proposed a national government where power was divided between three separate branches: the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judiciary. This concept is known as the separation of powers.
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What You'll Learn
The Articles of Confederation
Recognizing the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and others proposed that the states send delegates to a convention in Philadelphia in 1787 to revise the Articles. The convention, led by General George Washington, aimed to address commercial problems and strengthen the central government. However, the delegates ultimately decided to draft a new constitution, creating a powerful central government with a system of checks and balances.
The Constitutional Convention faced fierce debates, including congressional representation, slavery, and individual liberties. The delegates crafted compromises, such as the Three-Fifths Compromise, to balance the interests and views of the states. The final document, the United States Constitution, was signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787, marking a significant shift from the Articles of Confederation.
The Constitution established a federal system with a separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, aiming to prevent the concentration of power and protect individual liberties. It provided for a Supreme Court and granted Congress the authority to establish lower courts. The ratification process bypassed state legislatures, instead relying on special ratifying conventions in each state, with ratification by 9 of the 13 states enacting the new government.
The transition from the Articles of Confederation to the United States Constitution demonstrated the founders' commitment to creating a fair and balanced government, addressing the challenges faced by a weak central government and establishing a framework to protect the rights and interests of the states and citizens.
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The Constitutional Convention
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington were among those who feared the country was on the brink of collapse. Madison and Hamilton issued a report calling upon Congress to summon delegates from all the states to meet and revise the Articles. The Constitutional Convention was tasked with revising the existing government, but the delegates, representing wildly differing interests and views, ultimately created a new government with a powerful central authority.
The delegates met behind closed doors, swearing secrecy so they could speak freely. One of the fiercest arguments was over congressional representation—whether it should be based on population or divided equally among the states. A compromise was reached, giving each state one representative for every 30,000 people in the House of Representatives and two representatives in the Senate. They also agreed to count enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person, though the issue of slavery threatened to derail the Union.
The delegates, also known as framers, were wary of centralised power and loyal to their states. They crafted compromises to balance these concerns with the need for a stronger central government. They bypassed the state legislatures, calling for special ratifying conventions in each state. Ratification by 9 of the 13 states enacted the new government. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, creating one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world.
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The Federalists and the Anti-Federalists
The Founding Fathers of the United States, also known as the Founders, were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, and established the United States of America. They crafted a framework for the new nation's government, which was a republic, not a direct democracy. The Founding Fathers were an elite class, and they feared mob rule. They disagreed with each other and had vast and profound differences. They debated vigorously about how the new government should be structured. Most of them were utterly opposed to a direct democracy, in which the electorate determines policy themselves instead of having representatives.
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, with 55 delegates in attendance. The delegates originally gathered to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution. However, by mid-June, they had decided to completely redesign the government. There was little agreement about what form it would take. One of the fiercest arguments was over congressional representation—whether it should be based on population or divided equally among the states. The framers compromised by giving each state one representative for every 30,000 people in the House of Representatives and two representatives in the Senate. They also agreed to count enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person.
The Federalists believed that a strong central government was necessary to face the nation's challenges. The Anti-Federalists fought against the Constitution because it created a powerful central government that reminded them of the one they had just overthrown, and it lacked a bill of rights. The Federalists needed to convert at least three states. The ratification campaign was a nail-biter. The tide turned in Massachusetts, where the “vote now, amend later” compromise helped secure victory in that state and eventually in the final holdouts.
On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with one delegate signing on behalf of an absent delegate, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution. They bypassed the state legislatures, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government. Instead, they called for special ratifying conventions in each state. Ratification by 9 of the 13 states enacted the new government.
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The Three Branches of Government
The Constitution of the United States divides the federal government into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. This separation of powers ensures that no individual or group has too much authority.
The legislative branch, called Congress, is responsible for making laws. Congress consists of two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate has 100 members, with two senators representing each state, serving six-year terms. The number of representatives in the House varies by state, ranging from as few as two to as many as 40, and there are currently 435 representatives in total. Both senators and representatives are elected by eligible voters in their respective states. Together, the Senate and the House of Representatives have the power to create laws, declare war, raise funds for the military, establish post offices, admit new states to the union, and perform many other duties.
The executive branch is headed by the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and the leader of the federal government. The President has the power to veto bills passed by Congress, which can be overridden if both the Senate and the House pass the bill with a two-thirds majority. The President also appoints Supreme Court justices, who must be approved by the Senate. The Vice President supports the President and assumes their role if they are unable to serve. The Vice President also presides over the Senate and breaks ties in Senate votes.
The judicial branch, which includes the Supreme Court and nine Justices, is responsible for interpreting laws according to the Constitution. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the nation and decides whether laws are constitutional or unconstitutional. The Justices are appointed by the President and cannot be removed unless they commit a crime or become unable to perform their duties. They are meant to be neutral and not influenced by current political thought.
The Founding Fathers designed the three branches of government with a system of checks and balances to prevent the accumulation of power in any one branch and to encourage collaboration for the benefit of all the people. This system allows for a balance of powers and a dynamic Constitution that can change and grow over time.
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The Ratification Campaign
The founding fathers of the United States were a group of 18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, and established the United States of America. They crafted a framework for the new nation's government, which was designed to limit government powers and establish rules for each part of the government.
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, with 55 delegates in attendance. The Articles of Confederation, which had governed the United States after the Revolutionary War, had created a weak central government that lacked the power to manage trade, print currency, or pass and enforce laws that all states would agree to. This had led to disputes among the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade, threatening to tear the young country apart.
The delegates at the convention were tasked with revising the existing government, but they ended up creating a completely new one. They were wary of centralized power and loyal to their states, so they crafted a powerful central government with a separation of powers. The founding fathers proposed a national government where power was divided between three separate branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary. Each branch has its own rules, responsibilities, and powers.
On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing on behalf of the absent John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. Ratification by 9 of the 13 states was required to enact the new government. The founding fathers set the terms for ratifying the Constitution, bypassing the state legislatures and calling for special ratifying conventions in each state.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was drafted in response to the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which had created a very weak central government that lacked the power to manage trade, print money, or pass and enforce laws that all states would agree to. The Founding Fathers, including George Washington, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton, aimed to establish a fair and balanced government that would prevent the misuse of power.
There were several fierce debates during the Constitutional Convention, including the question of slavery and congressional representation. The Founding Fathers also disagreed over the relationship between federal and state governments, with some wary of centralized power and loyal to their states. They ultimately compromised by creating a powerful central government with a system of checks and balances, dividing power into three branches: the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judiciary.
The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total to 39 signatures. Ratification by 9 of the 13 states enacted the new government. The Federalists, who supported a strong central government, faced opposition from the Anti-Federalists, who were concerned about the lack of a bill of rights. The "vote now, amend later" compromise in Massachusetts helped secure victory and turn the tide in favor of ratification.
The US Constitution, the oldest written national constitution, is known as the "Supreme Law of the Land." It establishes a framework for a fair and balanced government with a system of checks and balances to prevent the concentration of power. It outlines the basic rules of government, including the structure and powers of the three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary. The Constitution also provides for a system of United States courts, with a Supreme Court at the highest level, and guarantees certain rights, such as the right to a Republican Form of Government and protection against domestic violence.
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