Isabella Carter
The Framers of the Constitution were delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, where they drafted the Constitution of the United States. The 55 delegates, including George Washington, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton, were political leaders who participated in the American Revolution and had extensive political experience. The Framers sought to address the challenges facing the nation at the time and establish foundational principles to guide the country into the future. They considered issues such as populism, the role of the judiciary, and the protection of fundamental freedoms. The Framers' influence on the Constitution has been a topic of discussion and interpretation, with some arguing for a return to their original vision and others highlighting the challenges of determining their precise intent.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of framers | 55 |
| Age range of framers | 26-81 |
| Average age of framers | 42 |
| Notable framers | George Washington, James Madison, Roger Sherman, Alexander Hamilton, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris, Edmond Randolph, Benjamin Franklin, Elbridge Gerry, Hugh Williamson |
| Intent of framers | To address populism, protect property rights, limit political influence of the voting public, establish foundational principles, define fundamental freedoms and governmental powers |
| Interpretation of framers' intent | Originalism is flawed, the framers' constitution should be adapted to changing times, the framers recognised the imperfection of majority rule |
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What You'll Learn
The Founding Fathers
The Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787. The 55 delegates who attended were tasked with revising the Articles of Confederation. However, they ended up drafting a new constitution to replace the Articles. The delegates ranged in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was so infirm that he had to be carried to the sessions in a sedan chair.
The main Founding Fathers who were Framers of the Constitution included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington. Almost all the delegates to the Constitutional Convention had taken part in the Revolution and had extensive political experience. Four-fifths had been in the Continental Congress, and nearly all had experience in colonial and state government.
The Framers of the Constitution were visionaries who designed it to endure. They sought to address the specific challenges facing the nation during their lifetimes while also establishing foundational principles to guide the new nation into an uncertain future. The Constitution defines fundamental freedoms and governmental powers in general terms, such as freedom of speech, due process of law, and the regulation of commerce among the states.
The Framers also took steps to insulate the government from populist pressures. For example, they ensured that the president was selected by a body of electors chosen by the states rather than by individual voters. They gave the chief executive veto power over legislation and provided for a nationwide system of courts to protect the interests of the federal government. Members of the Senate were given longer terms of office and were selected by state legislators rather than directly elected by voters.
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The Constitution's drafters
The Framers of the Constitution, also known as the Founding Fathers, were the 55 delegates with extensive political experience who attended the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. The original states, except Rhode Island, collectively appointed 70 individuals to the convention, but some did not accept or could not attend. The delegates ranged in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, with an average age of 42.
Many of the delegates were prominent in their states, and some had played important roles in the Revolution. Notable delegates included George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris, Edmund Randolph, and Roger Sherman. These men were tasked with revising the Articles of Confederation, but instead, they drafted a new constitution to replace the Articles.
The Framers of the Constitution were visionaries who designed the Constitution to endure and address the specific challenges facing the nation during their lifetimes. They established foundational principles that would sustain and guide the new nation into an uncertain future. The Framers sought to limit the political influence of the voting public, particularly through their control over state governments. They also wanted to insulate Congress and the judiciary from populist pressures.
The Framers addressed populism by ensuring that the president was selected not by individual voters but by a body of electors chosen by the states. They gave the chief executive veto power over legislation and provided for a nationwide system of courts to protect the interests of the federal government. The Framers also recognized that, in a self-governing society, courts must generally defer to the preferences of the majority while retaining the power to review governmental action to guard against arbitrary or unreasonable decisions.
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The Framers' vision
The Framers of the Constitution were visionaries. They designed the Constitution to endure and to address the specific challenges facing the nation during their lifetimes. They established foundational principles to sustain and guide the new nation into an uncertain future. The Framers sought to limit the political influence of the voting public, particularly through their control over state governments. They did not want voters to choose the president, instead opting for a body of electors selected by the states. The Framers also wanted to insulate Congress from populist pressures. They gave members of the Senate longer terms of office and kept the House of Representatives relatively small to limit its populist inclinations.
The Framers considered how to shield the judiciary from populist influence. They established a nationwide system of courts to protect the interests of the federal government, particularly in taxation and the enforcement of federal treaties. To safeguard their political independence, federal judges were granted tenure and protection from salary diminution.
The Framers understood that they were entrusting future generations with the responsibility to interpret and adapt the Constitution to changing circumstances. They recognised that while majority rule was the best system of government, it was imperfect. As such, they gave courts the power to review governmental action to guard against arbitrary or unreasonable decisions.
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The Framers' legacy
The Framers of the Constitution were visionaries who designed the Constitution to endure. They sought to address the specific challenges facing the nation during their lifetimes and to establish the foundational principles that would sustain and guide the new nation into an uncertain future. The text of the Constitution reflects this vision, defining fundamental freedoms and governmental powers in general terms.
The Framers understood that they were entrusting future generations with the responsibility to interpret and apply these broad principles to changing circumstances. Chief Justice John Marshall recognised this, stating that the Constitution was "intended to endure for ages to come, and consequently to be adapted to the various crises of human affairs". This approach, known as "The Framers' Constitution", acknowledges that while the principles remain constant, their interpretation and application must evolve.
The Framers also took steps to limit the influence of populism on governance. They ensured that the president was selected by a body of electors rather than directly by voters and gave the executive veto power over legislation. Senators were originally chosen by state legislators, not by popular vote, and they served longer terms to insulate them from populist pressures. The House of Representatives was kept relatively small, and the apportionment of Congress among the states was designed to limit populist influence.
The Framers further sought to protect the judiciary from populist influence. They established a nationwide system of courts, including the US Supreme Court, to safeguard federal interests and interpret the law. Federal judges were granted tenure and protection from salary diminution to preserve their independence. The Framers recognised that while majority rule was the best system of government, it was not perfect, and the judiciary was intended to play a crucial role in checking the power of political majorities and protecting individual rights.
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The First Congress
Several members of the First Congress were also Constitutional Framers, including James Madison, Roger Sherman, Elbridge Gerry, Nicholas Gilman, Thomas Fitzsimmons, George Clymer, Daniel Carroll, Abraham Baldwin, and Hugh Williamson. These individuals had previously been involved in drafting the Constitution and continued to shape the nation's government during the First Congress.
One of the key debates during the First Congress centred around Madison's proposal to send amendments to the Constitution to the states for ratification. While Madison faced opposition, particularly from Robert Morris, he ultimately prevailed with the support of President George Washington. Madison's proposal resulted in the addition of twelve amendments to the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, which guaranteed fundamental freedoms and rights to the citizens of the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
The Framers of the Constitution were delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia. They were tasked with revising the Articles of Confederation but instead drafted a new constitution. Notable Framers include George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin.
The Constitution was designed to address specific challenges facing the nation at the time, as well as establish foundational principles to guide the new nation. It defines fundamental freedoms such as freedom of speech, due process of law, and equal protection of the laws. It also sets forth governmental powers, such as Congress's ability to regulate commerce among the states.
The Framers sought to limit the political influence of the voting public. They ensured that the president was selected by a body of electors chosen by the states, rather than by individual voters. They also gave the chief executive veto power over legislation and insulated Congress from populist pressures by having senators selected by state legislators rather than directly elected.
Federal judges were given tenure and protection from salary diminution to safeguard their political independence. While courts can review governmental action, they must generally defer to the preferences of the majority and presume judicial modesty.
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