Omar Bennett
The Constitution of the United States was drafted with the intention of creating a more perfect union founded on liberty, dignity, democracy, and equality. The founding fathers, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, believed that the young country was on the brink of collapse due to the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation, which served as the country's first constitution. The new constitution aimed to establish a strong central government that could provide order and stability, while still maintaining state power. It sought to address issues such as territorial disputes, war pensions, taxation, and trade, which threatened to tear the nation apart. The delegates who crafted the Constitution represented diverse interests and views, and their compromises resulted in a powerful and enduring framework for America's system of government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Intent | To save a young country from collapse |
| To form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty | |
| To create a powerful central government | |
| To revise the Articles of Confederation, which 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 | |
| To replace the Articles of Confederation with a new constitution | |
| To establish a government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial | |
| To set up a system of checks and balances to ensure no one branch has too much power | |
| To divide power between the states and the federal government | |
| To secure various personal liberties, such as rights of conscience, liberty of the press, and rights of trial by jury | |
| To ensure religious freedom | |
| To put governance in the hands of the people |
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What You'll Learn
To replace the Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation, the United States' first constitution, was drafted by a committee appointed by the Second Continental Congress in June 1777. It was ratified by the 13 colonies on March 1, 1781. The Articles established a government in which the states retained most of the power, leaving the central government weak and ineffective.
The Articles gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, could not regulate commerce, control foreign policy, or print money. It could not tax individuals, and had to rely on the states for funding. This meant that the central government could not raise money to pay debts, fund the military, or support other essential functions.
The Articles' shortcomings became apparent in 1786 when a group of western Massachusetts residents, led by former Continental Army Captain Daniel Shay, rebelled due to high taxes and wartime debt. The federal government was unable to address the internal rebellion as it lacked the necessary funds and military power.
Recognizing the inadequacies of the Articles, Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organize a Grand Convention of state delegates in Philadelphia in May 1787 to revise them. The delegates, however, soon began considering measures to replace the Articles entirely. They crafted a new constitution that created a powerful central government with three separate branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial. This separation of powers ensured that no single branch held concentrated power.
The new Constitution gave the federal government greater control over money and taxes, allowing it to regulate interstate commerce, tax individuals, and prohibit states from creating their own currency. These changes addressed the financial weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and provided the central government with the necessary powers and resources to govern effectively.
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To form a more perfect union
The United States Constitution was drafted with the intent of forming a more perfect union. The country's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, had given the Confederation Congress the authority to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, the ability to regulate commerce, and the ability to print money. This led to disputes between the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade, threatening to tear the young nation apart.
The new Constitution aimed to address these issues by creating a strong central government that could provide order and stability, while still maintaining a balance of power between the states and the federal government. The Constitution establishes a system of checks and balances to ensure that no single branch of government has too much power.
The delegates who drafted the Constitution, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, were wary of centralized power and loyal to their states. They crafted compromises to reconcile their wildly different interests and views, resulting in a powerful central government that also protected states' rights.
The Constitution's preamble clearly states its purpose: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
The Constitution was designed to protect the freedom and liberty of the American people, and it has been celebrated as a powerful vision of freedom and democracy, inspiring the world by placing governance in the hands of the people.
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To establish justice
The US Constitution was written with the intent to "establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity". The preamble of the Constitution makes it clear that it was written to form a more perfect union.
The Constitution was drafted by delegates chosen by the state legislatures of 12 of the 13 original states, with Rhode Island refusing to send delegates. The delegates were tasked with revising the existing government, but ultimately created a powerful central government with a completely new form of government. The delegates wanted to establish a strong central government to provide order and stability, and to prevent the young country from collapsing.
The delegates wanted to replace the Articles of Confederation, which had given 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.
The Constitution aimed to establish justice by creating a system of checks and balances that ensures no one branch of government has too much power. It separates the powers of government into three branches: the legislative branch, which makes the laws; the executive branch, which executes the laws; and the judicial branch, which interprets the laws. The Constitution also divides power between the states and the federal government, ensuring that the federal government possesses only limited powers delegated to it by the states.
The Constitution also included a Bill of Rights, which enumerated the first rights pertaining to religion, stating that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". This was intended to ensure religious freedom and a strict separation between civil authority and religion.
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To secure domestic tranquility
The US Constitution was drafted to secure domestic tranquility, among other goals. The country was facing a crisis, with disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatening to tear the young nation apart. America's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, had failed to address these issues as it gave the Confederation Congress rule-making power but no enforcement powers, and it couldn't regulate commerce or print money.
The intent of the new Constitution was to create a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for the people and their posterity. The delegates at the Constitutional Convention, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, wanted to form a strong central government that could provide order and stability, while still maintaining a balance with state powers.
The Constitution aimed to secure domestic tranquility by creating a system of checks and balances that separated the powers of government into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. This ensured that no one branch had too much power. The legislative branch makes the laws, the executive branch executes them, and the judicial branch interprets them. The Constitution also divided power between the federal government and the states, ensuring that the federal government had limited powers and could not infringe on the rights of the states and individuals.
The Bill of Rights, which was added to the Constitution later, further secured domestic tranquility by enumerating specific freedoms and protections for citizens. These included religious freedom, freedom of the press, and the right to a trial by jury. The First Amendment, for example, states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." The interpretation of this amendment has led to two basic views: separationist and accommodationist. The former interprets the amendment as requiring a strict separation between civil authority and religion, while the latter believes in governmental protection of religious freedom without complete separation.
The process of ratifying the Constitution also contributed to securing domestic tranquility. Recognizing the need for popular support, the delegates bypassed the state legislatures and called for special ratifying conventions in each state. This ensured that the new government represented the will of the people and helped to prevent further discord and instability.
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To provide for the common defence
The intent of the new constitution with regard to "providing for the common defence" was to establish a strong and unified national defence for the newly formed United States of America. The constitution grants the federal government the power to "provide for the common defence" and ensure the safety and security of the nation and its citizens.
One of the primary motivations for drafting and adopting the new constitution was to address the weaknesses of the previous system, the Articles of Confederation, which had left the country vulnerable and unable to effectively defend itself during the Revolutionary War. The framers of the constitution recognized the need for a stronger, more centralized government that could respond swiftly and decisively to external threats.
The constitution grants Congress the power to "provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States," which includes the authority to raise and support armies, navies, and militias; to declare war; and to make rules for the governance of the armed forces. This represented a significant shift from the Articles of Confederation, which had severely limited the power of the central government in military affairs.
The new constitution also established the position of Commander-in-Chief, vested in the President of the United States, who would have the power to direct the armed forces and make critical decisions during times of conflict. This ensured a unified chain of command and a more efficient and effective use of military resources.
Additionally, the constitution provided for the creation of a standing army and navy, which would be maintained and funded by the federal government. This was a departure from the previous reliance on state militias, which had often lacked coordination, adequate training, and equipment. By establishing a professional military force, the constitution aimed to ensure a more reliable and consistent defence capability.
The framers of the constitution also included provisions for the regulation of the armed forces, ensuring that they would remain under civilian control and upholding the principles of a democratic society. The constitution grants Congress the authority to make rules and regulations for the governance of the military, ensuring its accountability to the people and its operation within the framework of the law.
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Frequently asked questions
The intent of the new US Constitution was to create a powerful central government that could regulate commerce, print money, and settle disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade.
The Articles of Confederation were America's first constitution, but they gave the Confederation Congress no enforcement powers, meaning they couldn't regulate commerce or print money.
The Constitutional Convention was a meeting of state delegates in Philadelphia, called to propose revisions to the Articles of Confederation.
The outcome of the convention was the creation of a new form of government with a strong central government, and the drafting of the US Constitution.
The Constitution had to be ratified by the people through special ratifying conventions in each state. Ratification by 9 of the 13 states was required to enact the new government.
