Founding Fathers: Social Contexts Of The Constitution

The United States Constitution, the oldest written national framework of government in the world, was written in 1787 by 55 men in Philadelphia. The document superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. The Constitution's creation was influenced by the political philosophy of John Locke, who advanced the principle of consent of the governed, and Montesquieu, who examined the separation of powers. The Constitution's framers sought to address the inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation, which provided insufficient power to the central government. The Constitution established a federal government with three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial, and outlined the rights and responsibilities of state governments. The document also included no property qualifications for voting or office holding, reflecting the republican ideal that office holding should be based on personal merit rather than social rank. However, the Constitution's framers sidestepped the issue of slavery, which would become a source of future conflict, and the document has been criticized for its concessions to slavery.

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The influence of British political philosopher John Locke

The US Constitution was written at a time when the young country was on the brink of collapse. America's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money, and the states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the country apart. The Founding Fathers, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, were tasked with revising the existing government, but they ended up creating a powerful new central government.

John Locke was a 17th-century English philosopher and political theorist whose ideas had a significant influence on the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Locke is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the Enlightenment, and his writings laid the foundation for modern philosophical empiricism and political liberalism.

Locke's most famous works include "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding" (1689) and "Two Treatises of Government" (1690). In these works, Locke advanced the principle of consent of the governed and argued for a theory of political authority based on natural individual rights and freedoms. He believed that government's duty under a social contract was to serve the people by protecting their basic rights to life, liberty, and property. Locke also refuted the theory of the divine right of kings, asserting that all persons are endowed with natural rights.

Locke's ideas on natural rights and the social contract directly influenced the Founding Fathers' thinking. His writings are quoted almost verbatim in documents such as the Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress, which was written two years before the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, was heavily influenced by Locke's "A Letter Concerning Toleration" and "Second Treatise of Government." Locke's justification of revolt, based on his theory of natural rights, has been described as the background from which the Declaration of Independence sprang.

In addition to his influence on the Declaration of Independence, Locke's political theory also influenced the design of the US government. The Supreme Court Justices, who are the ultimate interpreters of the Constitution, have cited Locke's influence. Locke's ideas on the social contract and natural rights provided a philosophical foundation for the Constitution's emphasis on individual rights and freedoms.

The Articles of Confederation

The final draft of the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was completed on November 15, 1777, and submitted to the states for ratification in late November 1777. The Articles of Confederation contained a preamble, thirteen articles, a conclusion, and a signatory section. The individual articles set the rules for current and future operations of the confederation's central government. Under the Articles, the states retained sovereignty over all governmental functions not specifically relinquished to the national Congress, which was empowered to make war and peace, negotiate diplomatic and commercial agreements with foreign countries, and resolve disputes between the states.

In May 1787, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, and the delegates came up with a completely new government. The present-day Constitution of the United States was drafted at the Constitutional Convention, which assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787. The delegates to the convention were chosen by the state legislatures of 12 of the 13 original states, with Rhode Island refusing to send delegates. The convention's initial mandate was limited to amending the Articles of Confederation, but the delegates quickly began considering measures to replace the Articles.

Religion and democracy

The United States Constitution, drafted in 1787, was a landmark event in the history of governments. It was the first constitution to dictate rule by popular consent, with laws drafted by the people's representatives, rather than by a sovereign. The US Constitution has had a profound influence on legal thinking and adaptation in emerging nations.

The US Constitution is dated "the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord" 1787, placing it in the context of the religious traditions of Western civilization. The religious context is further reflected in the absence of property qualifications for voting or office holding. In a republican society, office holding was to reflect personal merit, not social rank.

The drafting of the Constitution was influenced by British political philosopher John Locke, who expanded on the contract theory of government. Locke advanced the principle of consent of the governed, where the government's duty under a social contract was to serve the people by protecting their rights to life, liberty, and property. The Constitution's authors, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, were also influenced by Montesquieu, whose ideas are evident in Madison's and Hamilton's writings.

The Constitution's impact on democracy is evident in its establishment of a system of checks and balances and three independent branches of government. It created a powerful central government, addressing the weaknesses of the previous Articles of Confederation, which had given states considerable power and left the central government unable to regulate commerce, tax, or effectively support a war effort. The Constitution's framework has lasted over two centuries and served as a model for freedom-loving people worldwide.

The US Constitution's principles of representative government, separation of powers, and a presidential form of government have been particularly influential. Beginning in the mid-19th century, European colonies referenced the US Constitution when developing their own freely elected governments, and it has continued to inspire independence movements worldwide.

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The social contract

The US Constitution is the oldest written national framework of government in the world. It has served as a model for freedom-loving people and inspired emerging nations to develop their own freely elected governments. The drafting of the Constitution, often referred to as its framing, was completed at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, between May 25 and September 17, 1787. The convention was attended by 55 men, including George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and others, who represented 12 of the 13 original states. Rhode Island refused to send delegates.

The delegates were tasked with revising the existing government, but they ended up creating a completely new one. They crafted a powerful central government, balancing wildly different interests and views. The Constitution was signed by 38 delegates, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total to 39 signatures.

The US Constitution was a landmark event in the history of governments. Unlike older nations ruled by monarchs, the US Constitution dictated rule by popular consent, with laws drafted by the people's representatives. This was an experiment in social, political, economic, and public opinion, creating a new type of society governed by the rule of law. The basic framework of government established in the Constitution has remained unchanged, despite the United States' transformation over two centuries.

The US Constitution was influenced by the social contract theory of government, advanced by British political philosopher John Locke. Locke proposed that government's duty under a social contract was to serve the people by protecting their rights to life, liberty, and property. The US Constitution's principles of American constitutionalism, including the separation of powers, the bill of rights, a bicameral legislature, and a presidential form of government, have been emulated by many nations.

The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration became official when Congress recorded its vote adopting the document on July 4, 1776, and it was signed by John Hancock, President of the Congress. The signatures of fifty-six delegates are affixed to the Declaration, though there is some debate about the exact date when each person signed.

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