Eleanor Finch
The United States Constitution, written in 1787, is the foundation of the American government and the guiding force behind the structure of a federal democratic country. The Constitution was written to address the problems of the weak central government that existed under 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 established a federal government with more specific powers, including those related to conducting relations with foreign governments, and outlined the fundamental laws of the country, establishing the structure of one national government.
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What You'll Learn
To create a single, strong government for all 50 states
The United States Constitution was written to create a single, strong federal government for the 13 states that overcame the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. 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 country apart.
The Constitution's first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, in which the federal government is divided into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress (Article I); the executive, consisting of the president and subordinate officers (Article II); and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts (Article III). This structure created a powerful central government, which was a point of contention during the ratification process, with Federalists arguing for it and Anti-Federalists against it.
Article IV, Article V, and Article VI embody concepts of federalism, describing the rights and responsibilities of state governments, the states in relation to the federal government, and the shared process of constitutional amendment. The Constitution also outlines the powers of Congress, including the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises; to borrow money; to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the states; to establish uniform rules of naturalization and bankruptcy laws; to coin money and regulate its value; and to provide for the punishment of counterfeiting.
The Constitution was signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787, and ratified by 9 of the 13 states. It has since been amended 27 times, with amendments proposed by either Congress or a national convention and ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 of 50 states today). The Constitution stands today as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world.
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To establish a federal government with more specific powers
The United States Constitution was written in 1787, a few years after the Revolutionary War, as the founders of the country believed that the young nation was on the brink of collapse. 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 country apart.
The Constitution was written to establish a federal government with more specific powers, and to provide a framework for the United States government. The first three articles of the Constitution embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress (Article I); the executive, consisting of the president and subordinate officers (Article II); and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts (Article III).
The legislative branch is responsible for making laws, the executive branch for executing them, and the judicial branch for interpreting them. The Constitution also sets up a system of checks and balances to ensure that no one branch has too much power, and divides power between the states and the federal government. The Constitution describes the purposes and duties of the government, and the rights and responsibilities of state governments, as well as the states in relation to the federal government.
The delegates who wrote the Constitution, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, were wary of centralized power and loyal to their states. They crafted compromises to represent the different interests and views of the states. The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates, with one delegate signing on behalf of another, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
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To ensure the government was controlled by the people
The United States Constitution was written to ensure that the government was controlled by the people, rather than by a monarch or a small group of people. This form of government is called a democracy, where the people have a say in how they are governed and can elect their representatives.
The US Constitution was written to replace the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution. The Articles of Confederation gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, the ability to regulate commerce, and the authority to print money. The young nation faced the threat of collapse due to disputes among the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade.
To address these issues, a Constitutional Convention was assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, with the task of revising the existing government. The delegates, representing diverse interests and views, crafted a new constitution that established a federal government with three separate branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress; the executive, consisting of the President and subordinate officers; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts.
The Constitution's emphasis on federalism described the rights and responsibilities of state governments and their relationship to the federal government. It also established the procedure for its ratification by the 13 states. The Federalists, who advocated for a strong central government, faced opposition from the Anti-Federalists, who saw the Constitution as creating a powerful central government reminiscent of the one they had overthrown.
The US Constitution, with its checks and balances, separation of powers, and federalism, ensured that the government was controlled by the people and protected their rights and freedoms. It stands as one of the oldest and most emulated constitutions in the world, influencing other democracies and providing a framework for civilian control of the government.
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To revise the Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation, which served as the United States' first constitution, was adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and came into force on March 1, 1781. It was an agreement and early body of law in the Thirteen Colonies, which served as the nation's first frame of government during the American Revolution.
The Articles of Confederation established a weak central government, with limited powers. It could not regulate commerce, raise funds, or conduct foreign policy without the voluntary agreement of the states. It couldn't print money, collect taxes to fund its operations, or enforce rules on the states. The states retained considerable power, and disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
Recognizing these weaknesses, several prominent political thinkers began asking for changes to strengthen the powers of the central government. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and George Washington were among those who feared their young country was on the brink of collapse. In 1786, Hamilton led a group of nationalists and convened the Annapolis Convention to petition Congress to call a constitutional convention to meet in Philadelphia to remedy the long-term crisis.
In May 1787, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. The delegates quickly realized that the defects in the government could not be remedied by altering the Articles, and so they went beyond their mandate and created a new constitution. The new Constitution established a powerful central government, addressing the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
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To secure the blessings of liberty for the people
The United States Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. It was written just a few years after the Revolutionary War, as James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared their young country was on the brink of collapse. America’s first constitution, 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, or print money. The states’ disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
The Constitution was written to secure the blessings of liberty for the people, or in other words, to secure the benefits of liberty for future generations. The classical liberal view holds that most of the nation’s laws and bureaucratic systems are unconstitutional because they do not conform to the Preamble. The Preamble sets out the aspirations that "We the People" have for our government and our way of life as a nation. The six aspirations are 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 for ourselves and our posterity.
The delegates who wrote the Constitution were wary about centralised power and loyal to their states, so they created a powerful central government. They crafted compromises to represent the wildly different interests and views of the states. For example, to satisfy interests in the South, the delegates agreed to protect the slave trade and slavery for six more decades. The Constitution also delineates the frame of the federal government, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial.
The Constitution was an extraordinary achievement, and it stands today as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution was written to establish a federal government with more specific powers, including those related to conducting relations with foreign governments. It was also written to create one strong government for all 50 states.
The intent of the Constitutional Convention was to revise the Articles of Confederation and to develop a more centralized government.
The outcome of the Constitutional Convention was the creation of a powerful central government with three branches: executive, judicial, and legislative. The delegates also established the structure of the new government and listed the specific powers of each branch.
