Malcolm Rivera
The framers of the US Constitution were delegates to the Constitutional Convention, which assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787. These Founding Fathers were political leaders who had participated in the American Revolution and had extensive political experience. They were influenced by the political philosophy of the time, particularly the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, who emphasised concepts such as democracy, natural rights, and the social contract. The framers also drew on their historical experiences with colonial government and the trial of several forms of government during the settlement of the New World. They sought to create a balanced government that protected individual rights and prevented tyranny and the concentration of power.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Political philosophy of the time | Limited government |
| Individual rights | |
| Democracy | |
| Natural rights | |
| Social contract | |
| Consent of the governed | |
| Right to life | |
| Liberty | |
| Right to property | |
| Historical experiences | Self-governance through local assemblies |
| Struggle for independence | |
| Failures and successes of the Articles of Confederation | |
| Checks and balances | |
| Separation of powers | |
| Prevent concentration of power | |
| Prevent tyranny |
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What You'll Learn
Political philosophy of the time
The framers of the US Constitution were delegates to the Constitutional Convention, which assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787. They were tasked with revising the existing government, but ultimately came up with a completely new form of government. The framers were influenced by a combination of political philosophy and their historical experiences.
The framers of the Constitution were influenced by the political philosophy of the Enlightenment era, which emphasised ideas such as democracy, natural rights, and the social contract. Thinkers of this time, such as John Locke, emphasised that governments should be based on the consent of the governed and that people have inherent rights to life, liberty, and property. The framers sought to incorporate these ideas into the Constitution, aiming to create a balanced government that protected individual rights and prevented tyranny.
The framers understood that they were entrusting future generations with the responsibility to interpret and apply the broad principles of the Constitution over time. As Chief Justice John Marshall observed:
> We must never forget it is a Constitution we are expounding…intended to endure for ages to come, and consequently to be adapted to the various crises of human affairs.
This reflects an understanding that the Constitution sets forth broad principles that would need to be defined and given life in an ever-changing society. The framers recognised that their document would need to be adapted and reinterpreted over time, as society evolved and faced new challenges.
The framers were also influenced by the idea of limited government and the need to prevent the concentration of power. They sought to create a system of checks and balances and a separation of powers to protect against tyranny and ensure that individual liberties were protected. This included insulating Congress and the judiciary from populist pressures and influences.
The framers were also influenced by the belief in the importance of federalism and a strong central government. They recognised the need for a powerful central government to face the nation's challenges, but also wanted to protect states' rights and prevent the concentration of power in any one branch or entity. This led to a system of federalism, with a balance of power between the states and the national government.
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Historical experiences of government
The framers of the US Constitution were heavily influenced by their historical experiences of government. They had gained experience through the trial of several forms of government during the settlement of the New World. They drew upon their experiences with colonial government and examined the successes and failures of different systems to create a more perfect union.
The framers were influenced by their experiences in the colonies, where different forms of government were experimented with. They dealt with a range of governance issues during the New World settlement, including self-governance through local assemblies, the struggle for independence, and the failures and successes of the Articles of Confederation, which was the first governing document of the United States. The Articles of Confederation 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, and couldn't print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the country apart.
The framers were also influenced by the political philosophy of the time, which emphasized ideas such as limited government and individual rights. These ideas were popularized by Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, who emphasized that governments should be based on the consent of the governed and that people have inherent rights to life, liberty, and property. The framers sought to incorporate these ideas into the Constitution, combining them with their colonial experiences to shape the new governing document.
The framers understood that they were entrusting future generations with the responsibility to interpret and apply the broad principles of the Constitution over time. They recognized that the Constitution sets forth broad principles that would need to be defined and given life in an ever-changing society. The framers aimed to establish a government that would protect individual liberties and prevent the concentration of power. They wanted to create a more balanced and representative form of government, and their experiences shaped their understanding of the importance of checks and balances and the separation of powers.
The framers were also influenced by their experiences with the Articles of Confederation, which led them to create a powerful central government. They were wary of centralized power and loyal to their states, so they crafted compromises to balance these interests. They also considered how to shield the judiciary from populist influence, establishing a nationwide system of courts and authorizing a US Supreme Court to protect the interests of the federal government. 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 also tried to insulate Congress from populist pressures, keeping the House of Representatives relatively small and giving senators longer terms of office.
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Enlightenment ideas and thinkers
The framers of the US Constitution were delegates to the Constitutional Convention, which assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787. The 55 delegates, including John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington, were tasked with revising the Articles of Confederation, the first governing document of the United States. However, they decided to completely redesign the government, drawing on their experiences with colonial government and the political philosophy of the time.
The framers were particularly influenced by Enlightenment ideas and thinkers. The Enlightenment era introduced ideas about democracy, natural rights, and the social contract. Thinkers such as John Locke emphasised that governments should be based on the consent of the governed and that people have inherent rights to life, liberty, and property. The framers sought to incorporate these ideas into the Constitution, aiming to establish a government that would protect individual liberties and prevent the concentration of power. They understood that they were entrusting future generations with the responsibility to give concrete meaning to these broad principles over time.
The text of the Constitution reflects this vision, defining fundamental freedoms in general terms, such as "freedom of speech," "due process of law," and "equal protection of the laws." The framers also addressed populism by ensuring that the president was selected by a body of electors rather than by individual voters. They tried to insulate Congress from populist pressures, keeping the House of Representatives relatively small and giving each state two representatives in the Senate.
The framers' incorporation of Enlightenment ideas and their colonial experiences led them to create a balanced government that aimed to protect individual rights and prevent tyranny. They were familiar with the shortcomings of systems like monarchy and wanted to establish a more representative form of government with checks and balances and a separation of powers.
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Failures of the Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, was sent to the 13 states for consideration in 1777. However, it faced several challenges and lasted less than a decade. Here are some key failures of the Articles of Confederation:
Lack of Enforcement Powers
The Articles of Confederation gave the Confederation Congress the authority to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers. Congress had no means to compel the states to comply with its decisions or requests. This weakness was particularly evident in the areas of taxation and trade, where states often ignored Congress's requests or suggestions.
Inability to Regulate Commerce and Trade
Congress lacked the power to regulate commerce and standardize trade between foreign nations and the various states. This meant that Congress could not effectively protect American trade interests or ensure fair and consistent trade policies across the states. Despite Congress requesting limited power over commerce in 1784, many states did not comply, and the issue remained unresolved.
Super-Majority Requirement for Passing Laws
The Articles required the approval of nine out of thirteen states to pass any laws. This high supermajority requirement made it challenging to pass legislation affecting all states, especially with the frequent absence of delegations from some states. As a result, it was difficult to address issues that impacted the entire nation.
Central Government's Dependence on States for Funding
The central government lacked the power to tax and had to rely on voluntary contributions from the states to fund its operations. This resulted in a lack of funds to maintain a strong military or support its own currency. The government's inability to collect taxes also meant it couldn't address the Revolutionary War-era debts owed to European countries and investors.
States' Ability to Conduct Foreign Policy
Technically, the central government was responsible for foreign policy. However, due to its lack of domestic and international power, it could not enforce this role. States often conducted their own foreign policies, and foreign nations doubted the value of treaties negotiated by Congress. This further weakened the central government's authority and ability to represent the nation as a unified entity on the world stage.
The failures of the Articles of Confederation highlighted the need for a stronger central government and a more effective system of governance. These shortcomings led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, where delegates worked to create a new constitution that addressed these issues and established a more durable framework for the young nation.
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The need to protect individual rights
The Founding Fathers of the United States were political leaders who participated in the American Revolution. They signed the Declaration of Independence, took part in the Revolutionary War, and established the Constitution. The Framers of the Constitution were delegates to the Constitutional Convention, which assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, and helped draft the Constitution of the United States.
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 and to establish the foundational principles that would sustain and guide the new nation into an uncertain future. The Framers understood that they were entrusting future generations with the responsibility to give concrete meaning to these broad principles over time.
The Constitution was written by delegates from 12 states to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new form of government. The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, 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 states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young nation apart. The Framers of the new Constitution created a federal system with a national government composed of three separated powers, including both reserved and concurrent powers of states.
To address these concerns, the Framers included specific provisions in the Constitution to protect individual rights and liberties. The Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments, was added to the Constitution to guarantee essential freedoms and limit government power. Most individual rights protected by the Constitution are found in the Bill of Rights, including the First Amendment's freedom of speech and prohibition on congressional enactments that abridge this freedom, the Second Amendment's right to keep and bear arms, and the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. Other rights protected include the right against self-incrimination, the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, and the right to due process and equal protection under the law. These rights have been further expanded and clarified through Court interpretations and landmark legal decisions over time.
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Frequently asked questions
The Framers of the Constitution were the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention who helped draft the Constitution of the United States. Some of the main Founding Fathers were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington.
The Framers of the Constitution were primarily influenced by the political philosophy of the time, which emphasised ideas such as limited government, individual rights, and natural rights. They were also influenced by historical experiences gained through the trial of several forms of government during the settlement of the New World.
The Framers aimed to establish a government that would protect individual liberties and prevent the concentration of power. They created a powerful central government with checks and balances and a separation of powers.
Yes, the Framers understood that they were entrusting future generations with the responsibility to interpret and adapt the Constitution over time. They recognised that the Constitution sets forth broad principles that would need to be defined and given life in an ever-changing society.
The Framers were wary of populism and wanted to limit its power. They ensured that the president was selected by a body of electors chosen by the states, rather than by individual voters. They also tried to insulate Congress from populist pressures by having senators selected by state legislators and giving them longer terms of office.
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