Eleanor Finch
The Founding Fathers of the United States were the signers of three key documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. They were heavily influenced by the philosopher Emmerich de Vattel, who believed that the interpretation of an ancient act should consider the common use of its terms at the time of its writing. The Founding Fathers intended for the Constitution to be interpreted as written, with any changes made through legislation and amendments rather than through the courts. They understood the fallibility of men and governments, and created rules to both empower individuals and limit their desire for power over others. The Founding Fathers also recognised the need for a strong central government, and bypassed state legislatures, calling for special ratifying conventions in each state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Long-term view | The founding fathers wanted the constitution to stand the test of time. |
| Reality-based | They understood the fallibility of men and governments, and created rules to constrain individuals' desires for power over others. |
| Planning | Leaders like James Madison and Edmund Randolph developed a plan, the "Virginia Plan", ahead of time. |
| Facilitation | George Washington, who presided over the convention, used his influence to facilitate rather than dictate. |
| Commitment | The founders vigorously lobbied their organisations to gain commitment and ensure the constitution's success. |
| Ratification | The founders bypassed state legislatures and called for special ratifying conventions in each state. |
| Flexibility | The founding fathers preferred that the constitution be interpreted as written, with changes made through legislation and amendments, not through the courts. |
| Judicial review | The Supreme Court's power of judicial review was essential to the constitution's effectiveness. |
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What You'll Learn
- The founding fathers were influenced by philosopher Emmerich de Vattel
- The founders sought to create a powerful central government
- The founders wanted to free individuals to achieve their dreams
- The founders wanted to constrain men's desire for power over others
- The founders wanted to prevent the politicization of the court
The founding fathers were influenced by philosopher Emmerich de Vattel
The founding fathers of the United States include those who wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates, creating a powerful central government. The founding fathers were influenced by several European political thinkers, including John Locke, who is generally credited with influencing the thought of the founding fathers, especially on the idea of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".
One philosopher who greatly influenced the founding fathers was Emmerich de Vattel, a Swiss jurist, philosopher, diplomat, and international lawyer. Vattel's most famous work was "The Law of Nations" (1758), which was a treatise that applied a theory of natural law to international relations. Vattel's work was largely influenced by Christian Wolff's "Jus Gentium Methodo Scientifica Pertractum" (The Law of Nations According to the Scientific Method), which he translated from Latin and added his own thoughts to. Vattel's work was also heavily influenced by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and Hugo Grotius.
Vattel's ideas influenced America's founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. His principles of liberty and equality coincided with the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence, and his defence of neutrality and rules for commerce between neutral and belligerent states were considered authoritative in the U.S. Vattel's work provided a theoretical framework for explaining international conduct and a practical mechanism for implementing it into diplomatic practice. His ideas on the rights and obligations of citizens and states also had ramifications for Just War Theory as it outlined international diplomacy.
Vattel's influence can be seen in the founding fathers' conception of "happiness," which appealed to provide a general framework of fulfilment for individuals and the entire citizenry. His ideas on how to engage America in the world also prescribed a distinct path for the nation to emerge as a respectable actor on the international stage.
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The founders sought to create a powerful central government
The founding fathers of the United States include those who wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States. Signers of these three key documents are generally considered to be the Founding Fathers of the United States. The single person most identified as the "Father" of the United States is George Washington, a general in the American Revolution and the nation's first president. Other key founders include John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison.
The founding fathers sought to create a powerful central government by revising the existing government. They were wary about centralized power and loyal to their states, so they crafted compromises and created a powerful central government. The founding fathers were heavily influenced by philosopher Emmerich de Vattel, who believed that to interpret an ancient act, one must know the common use of the terms at the time it was written. They wanted to prevent the politicization of the court and promote legal consistency, keeping the court separate from the legislature. The founding fathers intended for the Constitution to be interpreted as it was written, with changes made through legislation and amendments rather than through the courts.
The founding fathers also understood the importance of creating rules that would free individuals to achieve their dreams while also constraining them to limit their desire for power over others. They knew that the frailties and foibles of men and government existed, and that rules were necessary to maintain order. They took a long-term view, creating a document that could stand the test of time, knowing that the fate of future generations depended on their wisdom.
The founding fathers also played a role in creating two types of legislatures: the Senate, where all states were equally represented, and the House, where states received representation based on population. This satisfied both the small and large states, as each had representation in the government. The founding fathers' efforts resulted in one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world, securing the rights of the American people and forming the framework of the Federal Government of the United States.
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The founders wanted to free individuals to achieve their dreams
The founding fathers of the United States were the signers of three key documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution. The founding fathers wanted to create a document that could stand the test of time and free individuals to achieve their dreams. They wanted to create rules that would empower individuals to pursue their aspirations while also imposing constraints to prevent them from exerting power over others.
The founding fathers, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison, were driven by the belief that the fate of future generations depended on their wisdom. They understood the imperfections of humanity and governance, and their goal was to establish a framework that would enable individuals to pursue their dreams within a system of checks and balances.
The founding fathers were influenced by philosopher Emmerich de Vattel, who emphasised interpreting ancient acts in the context of the common use of terms at the time they were written. They intended for the Constitution to be interpreted as it was written, with changes made through legislation and amendments rather than through the courts. This reflects their desire to separate the judiciary from the legislature, as outlined in the Federalist Papers.
The founding fathers also recognised the importance of compromise and representation. They created two types of legislatures: the Senate, where all states were equally represented, and the House, where representation was based on population. This compromise ensured that both small and large states had a voice in the government.
Additionally, the founding fathers had a long-term vision. They developed a plan, known as the "Virginia Plan," which served as a starting point for the Constitutional Convention. By having a plan and lobbying attendees beforehand, they laid the groundwork for successful negotiations and the creation of a flexible and enduring Constitution.
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The founders wanted to constrain men's desire for power over others
The Founding Fathers of the United States were the signers of three key documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed these documents, certain military personnel who fought in the American Revolutionary War, and others who greatly assisted in the nation's formation. The single person most identified as the "Father" of the United States is George Washington, a general in the American Revolution and the nation's first president.
The Founding Fathers were responsible for creating a powerful central government. Representing wildly different interests and views, they crafted compromises. The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution, bypassing the state legislatures and calling for special ratifying conventions in each state. Ratification by 9 of the 13 states enacted the new government.
The Founding Fathers were wary of centralised power and loyal to their states. They wanted to avoid the divisions that had ripped England apart in the 17th century due to political factions. They saw parties or "factions" as corrupt relics of the monarchical British system that they wanted to discard in favour of a truly democratic government. They wanted to prevent the young country from collapsing and tearing itself apart due to states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade.
John Adams, one of the Founding Fathers, wrote an essay titled "VII. An Essay on Man’s Lust for Power", in which he expressed his views on the dangers of power. He believed that no form of government could secure people against the violence of power. He argued that simple monarchy would lead to despotism, aristocracy would lead to oligarchy, and democracy would degenerate into anarchy. Adams also stated that selfish passions are stronger than social passions and that power can turn people's heads, leading to ravage, plunder, massacre, and the enslavement of people.
The Founding Fathers, including Adams, recognised the potential dangers of men's lust for power and sought to constrain it through the creation of a democratic government with checks and balances. They aimed to avoid the concentration of power in any one individual or group, opting instead for a system that distributed power across different branches and levels of government.
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The founders wanted to prevent the politicization of the court
The founding fathers of the United States were heavily influenced by the philosopher Emmerich de Vattel, who believed that to interpret an ancient text, one must understand the common use of the terms at the time of its writing. This textualist approach was key to preventing the politicization of the court, promoting legal consistency, and keeping the court independent of the legislature. The founding fathers intended for the constitution to be interpreted as it was written, with any changes being made through legislation and amendments, rather than through the courts. This is supported by the Federalist Papers, which detail the dangers of allowing the court to become a branch of the legislature, thus making it an unelected arbiter.
The founding fathers wanted to create a document that would stand the test of time and be flexible enough to accommodate the needs of future generations. They understood the imperfections of humanity and government, and sought to create rules that would empower individuals to achieve their dreams while also limiting their desire for power over others. The judicial branch was intended to be the least flexible and most constant of the three branches of government.
The founding fathers also recognised the importance of having a plan and lobbying attendees beforehand. The "Virginia Plan", developed by James Madison and Edmund Randolph, provided a starting point for the Constitutional Convention. This plan, along with lobbying attendees in advance, helped ensure the success of the convention.
The convention was facilitated by George Washington, who used his influence to guide the team through key decisions rather than dictating the outcome. His leadership style and stature during the Revolution were crucial in bringing the delegates to a compromise and creating a powerful central government.
The founding fathers' approach to constitution-making has had a lasting impact on the United States, with their efforts to prevent the politicization of the court contributing to the longevity and flexibility of the constitution they created.
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Frequently asked questions
The founding fathers wanted to create a document that could stand the test of time. They wanted to create rules that would free individuals to achieve their dreams, but also constrain them so as to limit their desire for power over others.
The founding fathers were heavily influenced by philosopher Emmerich de Vattel, who believed that to interpret an ancient act, one must know the common use of the terms at the time it was written.
Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organize a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation. He also ghost-wrote The Federalist Papers, a series of articles that helped attain the ratification of the Constitution by the state of New York.
The Virginia Plan was a plan developed by leaders such as James Madison and Edmund Randolph before the Constitutional Convention to provide a starting point for the conversation. While it wasn’t accepted in its entirety, several facets of the plan became part of the Constitution.
