Founding Fathers: Constitution Voters And Their Legacy

The Founding Fathers of the United States were among the wealthiest people in the colonies when they drafted and signed the Constitution. The Constitutional Convention was held in the Pennsylvania State House from May 14 to September 17, 1787, with 55 delegates in attendance. Notable Founding Fathers present include George Washington, who presided over the convention, James Madison, the Father of the Constitution, and Alexander Hamilton. The Founding Fathers established the Electoral College in the Constitution, as a compromise between the election of the President by a vote in Congress and a popular vote of qualified citizens.

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The Founding Fathers established the Electoral College

The Founding Fathers of the United States were a group of 55 delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention in 1787. They were among the wealthiest people in the colonies and included George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and others. These men drafted and signed the Constitution, which became the law of the land in 1788.

The Electoral College process has been subject to numerous proposals for amendment over the years. Critics have called it "archaic" and "ambiguous," and public opinion polls have shown a majority favouring its abolition. However, it remains a part of the U.S. electoral system, and changing it would require a Constitutional amendment.

The Founding Fathers had a different vision of democracy than what exists today. They believed in limiting suffrage to wealthy, educated men, and left the details of voting requirements to the individual states. This resulted in unfair voting practices, with only white male landowners being allowed to vote in many states. Over time, voting rights expanded, and amendments were passed to include citizens of different races, genders, and ages.

The Founding Fathers' influence extended beyond the Electoral College. They shaped the presidency, the federal judiciary system, and the constitutions of individual states. Their ideas and institutions laid the foundation for the young nation, and their legacy continues to impact the United States today.

The Constitution was drafted in 1787

The Constitution of the United States was drafted in 1787, during a period when the nation was at risk of "anarchy and confusion". The Founding Fathers, including George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin, were among the wealthiest people in the colonies and played pivotal roles in the drafting and signing of the Constitution.

The Federal Convention, also known as the Constitutional Convention, convened in Philadelphia on May 14, 1787, with the initial purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation. However, it soon became clear that the delegates intended to draft an entirely new form of government. The convention was attended by delegates from 12 of the 13 original states, with Rhode Island refusing to send representatives.

The Founding Fathers who were present during the drafting and voting on the Constitution had differing views on democracy. Some, like John Adams, did not want poor people or women to have the right to vote, while others, like Alexander Hamilton, believed in the importance of unity, order, and economic strength. The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and established the government of the United States.

The document was created to address concerns about the limitations of the Articles of Confederation and the need for a stronger central government. The Founding Fathers debated and redrafted the articles of the Constitution throughout the summer of 1787, discussing key issues such as the balance of power between the central government and the states, representation in Congress, and the election process for representatives.

The Constitution included the famous phrase "We the People," coined by Gouverneur Morris, which represented the idea that the people, rather than the states, were the source of the government's legitimacy. The document also outlined six goals and seven articles that defined the basic framework of the federal government. The Constitution was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City, the nation's temporary capital, and marked a significant step towards establishing a more robust and unified government for the young nation.

George Washington was elected as convention president

George Washington was a Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. He was born in the Colony of Virginia and became the commander of the Virginia Regiment during the French and Indian War (1754–1763). He was later elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses and opposed the perceived oppression of American colonists by the British Crown.

In 1775, when the American Revolutionary War against the British began, Washington was appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. He directed a poorly organised and equipped force against disciplined British troops and led the Patriot forces to victory. This victory brought about American independence, and Washington became known as the Father of the Nation.

In 1787, Washington was persuaded to attend the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was subsequently unanimously elected as its president. The Convention, also known as the Philadelphia Convention or the Federal Convention, met from May 14 to September 17. The delegates gathered to address the issues that had arisen while the newly independent nation was operating under the Articles of Confederation following independence from Great Britain. The historic outcome of the Convention was the drafting of the United States Constitution and its subsequent ratification, which established a centralised federal government.

Washington's presence at the Convention was pivotal, lending credibility to the endeavour of drafting a stronger federal government. His belief in virtue, restraint, and institutional design influenced not only the national charter but also the constitutions of several states. Washington's honour and patriotism were also instrumental in shaping the presidency, and he was tasked with defining the office once elected.

The Founding Fathers, including Washington, were among the wealthiest people in the Colonies when they drafted and signed the Constitution. They envisioned a nation led by wealthy, educated individuals and expected the common people to participate indirectly through local governments and protests.

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Madison was the Constitution's chief architect

James Madison, born in 1751 in the British colony of Virginia, was popularly acclaimed as the "Father of the Constitution" for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. Madison was born into a prominent slave-owning planter family in Virginia. He studied law and served in the Virginia state legislature and the Second Continental Congress as a representative of Virginia. His intellect and political connections were well-known.

Madison's Virginia Plan was the basis for the convention's deliberations. He was one of the leaders in the movement to ratify the Constitution and joined Alexander Hamilton and John Jay in writing The Federalist Papers, a series of pro-ratification essays that remain prominent in American political science. Madison emerged as an important leader in the House of Representatives and was a close adviser to President George Washington. He also served as Thomas Jefferson's Secretary of State from 1801 to 1809.

Madison's belief in virtue, restraint, and institutional design influenced not only the national charter but also the constitutions of several states. He was dissatisfied with the weak national government established by the Articles of Confederation, so he helped organize the Constitutional Convention, which produced a new constitution designed to strengthen republican government against democratic assembly. Madison's work on George Mason's draft of the Virginia Declaration of Rights was the first step towards independence and the Constitution. He replaced the phrase "all men should enjoy the fullest toleration in the exercise of religion" with "all men are equally entitled to the full and free exercise of it".

Madison's contributions to the Constitution were influenced by the ideas of the French philosopher Charles Montesquieu and Englishman John Locke, both advocates of liberty. Madison, via Montesquieu, contested the concentration of power, arguing for the separation of powers into executive, legislative, and judicial branches. This understanding of human nature and the balance of power and the individual came to fruition in the Constitution. Madison's ideas on political factions, human nature, and the separation of powers were fleshed out in The Federalist Papers.

The Founding Fathers were among the wealthiest people

The Founding Fathers of the United States of America were among the wealthiest people in the colonies when they drafted and signed the Constitution. They were prominent and wealthy by 1776, and many of them were born into wealth. They included George Washington, who was born into a landowning family and married a wealthy widow; John Adams, the second US president, who inherited land from his father; and Thomas Jefferson, the third US president, who also inherited land. James Madison, the "Father of the Constitution", was also born into wealth and went on to become the fourth US president. Alexander Hamilton, another framer of the Constitution, rose from obscurity to become a towering force in the founding of the American republic.

The Founding Fathers were not ordinary people, but the elite of their day, involved in the highest levels of society. They were far from ordinary in terms of income, wealth, education, and social standing. They were prominent figures in society, with access to the highest levels of education, and they were expected to guide the young nation.

However, it is important to note that not all of the Founding Fathers were rich. For example, Samuel Adams, who raised the alarm about growing parliamentary taxation without representation, was not born into wealth. Furthermore, the Founding Fathers did not want a direct democracy where only the wealthy could vote. They believed that the common people, the poor, and the uneducated should participate indirectly through their local governments, town halls, and meetings, and through protest actions like boycotts.

The Founding Fathers left the details of voting to the states, and initially, only white men with property were routinely allowed to vote. It was only after the 1913 ratification of the 17th Amendment that US senators were elected by direct popular vote. The Founding Fathers wanted to restrict the influence of populism and mob rule, and they believed that citizenship rights should be limited. They were concerned that democracy would enable the election of demagogues.

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