Malcolm Rivera
The United States Constitution, the oldest written national framework of government in the world, has served as the supreme law of the United States since 1789. The document was written at the 1787 Philadelphia Convention and was influenced by historical events such as the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, and the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution was also influenced by political philosophy, including the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers like Locke and Montesquieu, and the concept of natural rights and the social contract. The historical context of the time, the desire for a stronger central government, and the contributions of key figures like James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, all played a significant role in shaping the Constitution and its impact on the United States' government and society.
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What You'll Learn
- The US Constitution is the oldest written national framework of government in the world
- The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, were inadequate and lacked enforcement powers
- The Continental Congress functioned as a de facto national government at the outset of the Revolutionary War
- The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was influenced by European Enlightenment thinkers
- The Constitution was ratified through a series of state conventions held in 1787 and 1788
The US Constitution is the oldest written national framework of government in the world
The United States Constitution is the oldest written national framework for governance in the world. It has served as the supreme law of the United States since 1789, two years after it was written at the 1787 Philadelphia Convention. The US Constitution has been amended 27 times since its inception, with particularly notable amendments including the ten amendments of the United States Bill of Rights and the three Reconstruction Amendments.
The US Constitution was written by 55 men who assembled in Philadelphia in 1787. These men were delegates from 12 of the 13 states, and they came together to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution. The Articles of Confederation had established a loose alliance of states with a weak central government. However, the Articles were considered inadequate by some, as they gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, could not regulate commerce, and could not print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart. Thus, the delegates at the 1787 Philadelphia Convention crafted a new constitution, which created a powerful central government.
The US Constitution was influenced by the ideas of European Enlightenment thinkers, such as Montesquieu, John Locke, Edward Coke, and William Blackstone. These Enlightenment philosophers emphasised concepts such as unalienable rights, the separation of powers, and the social contract. Additionally, the US Constitution was also influenced by the Magna Carta and English common law. The structure of the US government, with its three independent branches and a system of checks and balances, was a departure from the autocratic monarchies of Europe and was designed to protect the egalitarian character of the American people.
The US Constitution has had a lasting impact, not only within the United States but also globally. It has served as a model for freedom-loving people worldwide, with many nations adopting similar principles of American constitutionalism, such as the separation of powers, a bill of rights, a bicameral legislature, and a presidential form of government. The US Constitution has endured for over two centuries, despite the radical transformations that the country has undergone during this time.
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The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, were inadequate and lacked enforcement powers
One of the main issues with the Articles of Confederation was the lack of enforcement powers. Under the Articles, Congress lacked the authority to regulate commerce and conduct foreign policy without the voluntary agreement of the states. It could not effectively support a war effort, raise funds, or regulate trade. The states retained considerable power, and the central government was weak. This led to a lack of respect and support for Congress from the state governments, who were anxious to maintain their power. Congress also had no power to enforce attendance, which caused issues when trying to ratify important treaties, such as the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which ended hostilities with Great Britain.
The Articles of Confederation also lacked the power to compel the states to comply with requests for troops or funding. This was a significant issue during the Revolutionary War, when any contributions of troops or funds from the states were voluntary. The inability to create a strong foreign policy and the lack of coercive power reduced the likelihood of profit being made by political means, which further weakened the central government.
Another consequence of the weak central government under the Articles of Confederation was the encouragement of delegates to focus more on politics in their home states and their personal affairs rather than on the nation's legislative body. The states often failed to comply with Congress's suggestions or requests, such as when Congress requested that the states grant it limited power over commerce in 1784, but many states did not comply.
The inadequacies and lack of enforcement powers of the Articles of Confederation led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, where a new framework of government was created. The Constitution established a system of checks and balances and three independent branches of government, providing a stronger central government with the power to regulate commerce, conduct foreign policy, and enforce its decisions. The United States Constitution has served as the supreme law of the United States since 1789 and has been a model for freedom-loving people worldwide.
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The Continental Congress functioned as a de facto national government at the outset of the Revolutionary War
The Continental Congress was the governing body that coordinated the resistance of American colonial governments to British rule during the first two years of the American Revolution. The Congress balanced the interests of the different colonies and established itself as the official colonial liaison to Great Britain. As the war progressed, the Continental Congress became the de facto national government of the country, taking on the role of negotiating diplomatic agreements with foreign nations. It conducted diplomacy on behalf of the new United States, negotiating with Britain and France.
The Continental Congress first met in Philadelphia on September 5, 1774, with delegates from each of the 13 colonies except Georgia. It adopted the Articles of Association, which outlined plans for a boycott of British goods and an embargo on exports if the Intolerable Acts were not repealed. The Congress also approved statements explaining the colonial position to the people of Great Britain, the North American colonies, and Quebec.
As the de facto national government, the Continental Congress assumed the functions of a national government, including appointing ambassadors, signing treaties, raising armies, appointing generals, obtaining loans, issuing paper money, and disbursing funds. However, it had no authority to levy taxes and had to request money, supplies, and troops from the states to support the war effort.
The Continental Congress played a crucial role in the early years of the American Revolution, coordinating resistance, conducting diplomacy, and functioning as the de facto national government until the formation of the Confederation Congress in 1781. The Continental Congress laid the foundation for the creation of a new nation and the development of a constitutional government in the United States.
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The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was influenced by European Enlightenment thinkers
The United States Constitution, drafted during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, was influenced by a variety of factors, including the ideas of European Enlightenment thinkers. The Enlightenment, or the Age of Reason, was a period from the late 17th century to the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, during which new ideals and values emerged in Europe and spread to the American colonies. These ideals included natural law, liberty, progress, constitutional government, and the separation of church and state.
The Enlightenment thinkers, including Hume, Locke, Montesquieu, Edward Coke, William Blackstone, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, and Francis Bacon, had a significant impact on the ideology that shaped the Constitution. These philosophers explored political and social philosophy, advocating for concepts such as human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the social contract. Their ideas influenced the generation of the Founding Fathers, including Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, who played a crucial role in shaping the American political narrative.
One of the key influences of Enlightenment thought on the Constitutional Convention of 1787 was the concept of Enlightenment constitutionalism. This idea, explored by Gaetano Filangieri, emphasised the importance of natural law, human rights, and the balance between liberty and equality. The delegates at the Convention, wary of centralised power, created a powerful central government while protecting states' rights, reflecting the Enlightenment influence.
The specific provisions of the Constitution also reflect Enlightenment thinking. For example, the Due Process Clause was based on common law and the Magna Carta, which enshrined English liberty against arbitrary power. The First Amendment, protecting freedom of speech and religion, embodies the ideas of Hume and Immanuel Kant. Additionally, the concept of separation of powers in the Constitution was inspired by Enlightenment philosophers like Montesquieu and Locke.
Overall, the Constitutional Convention of 1787 was influenced by European Enlightenment thinkers, who shaped the political and social ideals that underpinned the creation of the United States Constitution. The Enlightenment's focus on individual rights, liberty, and constitutional government helped lay the foundation for the principles and structures established during the Convention, contributing to the development of American democracy.
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The Constitution was ratified through a series of state conventions held in 1787 and 1788
The United States Constitution has served as the supreme law of the United States since 1789. The document was written at the 1787 Philadelphia Convention and was ratified through a series of state conventions held in 1787 and 1788.
The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia met between May and September 1787 to address the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, among others, sought to create a new frame of government rather than revise the existing one.
The convention was presided over by George Washington, former commanding general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and a proponent of a stronger national government. The delegates debated and ratified the Constitution of the United States, making the convention one of the most significant events in American history. The delegates created a powerful central government, representing wildly different interests and views, and crafted compromises.
The Constitution was presented to the convention on September 12, and the delegates began to consider each section. The final version was voted on by the delegates, inscribed on parchment, and signed by 39 of 55 delegates on September 17, 1787. The completed proposed Constitution was printed in several copies for review, which began the debates and ratification process. The ratification campaign was a nail-biter, with supporters of the Constitution ("Federalists") and opponents ("Anti-Federalists") fighting fiercely in the press. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the new Constitution, making its adoption official.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was influenced by the American Revolution, which aimed to address the political and economic issues of the time, such as states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade. The Constitution also drew on ideas from the European Enlightenment, including the concepts of unalienable rights and the separation of powers.
The primary concern was the perceived inadequacy of the Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, which gave the central government limited power and was unable to effectively regulate commerce, tax, or support war efforts. The US Constitution aimed to create a more powerful central government while balancing the interests and views of the individual states.
The US Constitution has the oldest written national framework of government in the world, having governed the country for over two centuries without any significant changes to its basic framework. It was also influenced by the ideas of Iroquois Confederacy political concepts, according to some scholars.
