Malcolm Rivera
The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. The need for the Constitution arose from the limitations of 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. The Constitution was drafted in 1787 by delegates representing different interests and views, and it was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates. During the debate over the Constitution, two factions emerged: the Federalists, who supported its adoption, and the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it due to concerns about centralization of power and the lack of a bill of rights. The Federalists believed that a strong central government was necessary to address the nation's challenges, while the Anti-Federalists favoured a more decentralized form of governance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date written | May to September 1787 |
| Location written | Philadelphia |
| Number of delegates | 55 |
| Number of signatures | 39 |
| Number of states required for ratification | 9 of 13 |
| Number of amendments | 27 |
| Number of articles | 7 |
| Number of branches of government | 3 |
| First three articles | Doctrine of the separation of powers |
| Legislative branch | Bicameral Congress (Article I) |
| Executive branch | President and subordinate officers (Article II) |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court and other federal courts (Article III) |
| Remaining articles | Concepts of federalism, describing the rights and responsibilities of state governments, the states in relationship to the federal government, and the shared process of constitutional amendment |
| Author | Gouverneur Morris |
| Supporters | Federalists |
| Opponents | Anti-Federalists |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The Federalists supported the Constitution
To promote their cause, the Federalists published a series of 85 articles in New York City newspapers, known as The Federalist Papers, written by Hamilton, Madison, and John Jay. These papers explained and advocated for the ratification of the Constitution, detailing its provisions and underlying principles. The Federalists were well-organized and well-funded, utilizing the printed word effectively to articulate their position. They had strong support in the press, with most newspapers publishing articles and pamphlets in support of the Constitution.
The Federalist supporters included big property owners in the North, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals. They favored weaker state governments, indirect elections, longer term limits for officeholders, and representative democracy. They argued that the Constitution contained protections for individual liberties in Article I, Sections 9 and 10, and that the entire document, with its checks and balances, served as a Bill of Rights.
The Federalists faced opposition from the Anti-Federalists, who fought against the creation of a strong national government and sought less drastic changes to the Articles of Confederation. The debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists illustrated the vigor of freedom of speech and the press in the United States, even before the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were adopted. Ultimately, the Federalists prevailed in state ratification debates, and their ideas formed the roots of the American government.
Federalism's Constitutional Roots: Why and How It's Written
You may want to see also
The Anti-Federalists opposed it
The Anti-Federalists opposed the Constitution, arguing that it gave too much power to the federal government and threatened the sovereignty and prestige of the states, localities, and individuals. They believed that the new Constitution consolidated too much power in the hands of Congress, at the expense of the states. The Anti-Federalists wanted to protect the interests of rural areas and farmers, and they believed that a large central government would only serve the interests of urban areas. They also believed that the unitary president resembled a monarch, and that this would eventually produce courts of intrigue in the nation's capital.
The Anti-Federalists also objected to the federal court system created by the proposed Constitution, arguing that it provided insufficient rights in the courts, such as no guarantee of juries in civil cases and that criminal case juries be local. They believed that the liberties of the people were best protected when power resided in state governments, as opposed to a federal one. They also believed that without a Bill of Rights, the federal government would become tyrannous.
The Anti-Federalists were a diverse group, composed of those who opposed the Constitution because they thought it threatened their personal liberties, and those who saw in the proposed government a new centralized and "monarchic" power in disguise that replicated the cast-off governance of Great Britain. They were strong in the key states of Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia, and they prevented the ratification of the Constitution in North Carolina and Rhode Island until after the new government had been established.
The Anti-Federalists mobilized against the Constitution in state legislatures across the country, and their influence helped lead to the passage of the Bill of Rights. They were the first in the long line of states' rights advocates, and their agitations led to the addition of a Bill of Rights, which includes the right to free speech, the right to a speedy trial, the right to due process under the law, and protections against cruel and unusual punishments.
Constitution's Creation: Six Key Reasons Explained
You may want to see also
The Constitution was a revision of the Articles of Confederation
The Constitution of the United States was a revision of the Articles of Confederation, which served as the country's first constitution. The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and came into force on March 1, 1781. However, just a few years after the Revolutionary War, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared that the young country was on the brink of collapse due to the limitations of the Articles.
The Articles of Confederation gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, could not regulate commerce, and could not print money. The central government's inability to regulate commerce and set commercial policy led to states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade, threatening to tear the country apart. Alexander Hamilton played a crucial role in convincing Congress to organize a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation.
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, with delegates from various states. They quickly agreed that the defects in the government framework could not be addressed by merely altering the Articles. As a result, they went beyond their original mandate and created a new constitution. The delegates, representing diverse interests and views, crafted compromises and established a powerful central government while remaining cautious about centralized power and loyal to their respective states.
The new Constitution, signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787, marked a significant departure from the existing government structure. It stands as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions globally, shaping the United States' government and influencing other nations' systems. The ratification process further demonstrated the delegates' commitment to creating a strong and unified nation, with 9 out of 13 states enacting the new government.
Israel's Constitution: India's Mention and Relationship
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Constitution was written by Gouverneur Morris
Gouverneur Morris was a Founding Father of the United States and a delegate to the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention. He was born on January 31, 1752, and was known for his romantic life, wit, and beauty. He was a man of high society and came from a prominent and wealthy New York family. Morris attended King's College (now Columbia University) and studied law under Judge William Smith. He was also an extraordinary orator and gave 173 speeches over the course of the Convention, more than any other member.
Morris was highly instrumental in creating the language and structure of the Constitution and has been called the "Penman of the Constitution". He was appointed to the Committee of Style and Arrangement, which drafted the final language of the proposed constitution. Morris is credited by most historians with writing the Preamble to the Constitution, including changing the opening line from "We, the People of the States" to "We, the People of the United States." This change reflected his idea of being a citizen of a single union of states rather than individual states.
Morris also had a strong impact on the structure of the presidency. He defended the need for an energetic president with sufficient powers and independence to ward off legislative tyranny as the "guardian of the people." He argued for popular election over congressional election for the president, believing it would check the influence of the legislature. Additionally, Morris was one of the few delegates at the Convention who spoke openly against domestic slavery, stating that it was incongruous to consider a slave both a man and property.
After the ratification of the Constitution, Morris served as Minister Plenipotentiary to France, where he witnessed the French Revolution and criticized the execution of Marie Antoinette. He later returned to the United States and was elected to the Senate in 1800, serving until 1803. Despite his contributions to the Constitution, Morris later judged it to be a failure and supported secession during the War of 1812.
The Constitution's Birthplace: Where History Was Written
You may want to see also
The Constitution was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Out of the 55 delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention, only 39 endorsed the Constitution. The remaining six delegates withheld their signatures, expressing dissatisfaction with the final document.
The delegates who signed the Constitution represented 12 states, with Rhode Island being the only state that did not send any delegates to the convention. The signing of the Constitution marked the conclusion of a four-month-long convention that began in May 1787. The delegates, representing diverse interests and views, engaged in intense debates and revisions to craft a document that would establish a powerful central government while protecting the prerogatives of the states.
The final draft of the Constitution, presented on September 12, 1787, was the culmination of months of arduous work. The delegates had to navigate complex issues such as state sovereignty, central government powers, and the management of western territories. The resulting Constitution expanded the power of the central government while preserving the rights of the states.
The signing of the Constitution was a significant moment in American history, as it laid the foundation for the nation's federal government and outlined the functioning of its three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. However, not all delegates were satisfied with the final document. Some, like Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, George Mason of Virginia, and Edmund Randolph, refused to sign, preferring the decentralised nature of the Articles of Confederation.
The Constitution faced opposition from Anti-Federalists, who argued that it created a powerful central government reminiscent of the one they had recently overthrown. They also criticised the lack of a bill of rights. Despite these objections, the Constitution was ratified by the requisite nine states by June 1788, and the new government was set to begin in March 1789.
The Journey of Writing the Constitution
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared that the country was on the brink of collapse due to the limitations of 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.
The US Constitution was written by Gouverneur Morris, a delegate from Pennsylvania.
The US Constitution was written in 1787.
39 of the 55 delegates signed the US Constitution.
The Federalists, who supported the adoption of the Constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it due to its creation of a powerful central government and lack of a bill of rights.
