The United States Constitution, adopted by the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787 and executed on March 4, 1789, replaced the less effective Articles of Confederation, and is now the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the oldest written constitution still in use, and plays a decisive role in US law and politics. The Constitution is often hailed as a philosophical marvel, and serves as a template for several other nations. Nevertheless, it has been challenged numerous times since its creation. Our founders included a process to amend the constitution if necessary as they foresaw this. The first ten of these amendments are justly named the Bill of Rights for they protect the natural rights of citizens by putting limitations…
The United States Constitution is one of the most significant documents in modern world history. Its official date of adoption was on the seventeenth of September in 1897. The Constitution itself represents the advent of democracy, justice and freedom in a once-was colony which thereafter gained its independence. It established three branches of government; the legislative branch, the judicial branch and the executive branch. Additionally, the Constitution outlined the relationship between the country’s citizens and the Federal government.…
Hoffman, Danny. "The City as Barracks: Freetown, Monrovia, and the Organization of Violence in Postcolonial African Cities." Cultural Anthropology. Volume 22 #3 August 2007. pp. 400–428…
The US constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America, it consisted originally of seven articles but has been continually amended since its codification in 1787. The adding of amendments, such as the Bill of Rights 1789, involves a process which was laid out by the Founding Fathers. The amendment process of the US constitution was made rigid, this was so that every amendment made was properly scrutinised and would not destroy the foundations of the constitution.…
The Articles of Confederation and United States Constitution are two documents that shaped the U.S. government into what it is today. The Articles of Confederation (AOC) was the first Constitution of the United States. Americans soon realized that this document had to be substantially modified because the U.S. needed a stronger government. The AOC was thought of as an ineffective national government document, although there were some strong points. The AOC was ratified in 1781, and replaced by an improved document known as the United States Constitution in 1789. An unknown person once said, “Perhaps the greatest service rendered by the Articles of Confederation was the impetus its shortcomings gave to those who favored a strong central government.” This is an analytical essay supporting this quote by comparing the strengths, weaknesses, and achievements of the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.…
The Constitution of the United States has always been known as the lifeblood of our government and the rights of the people. This historical document was not always in place however. Before this “living document” and basis for United States rights and laws was formed there was the Articles of Confederation. Signed in 1777 by the original 13 colonies as a means of establishing the United States of American and served as our new founded countries first constitution. This document however, “did not provide the centralizing force necessary for unity among the new states and were soon found to be so fundamentally weak that a different political structure was vital.” (Breckenridge pg.19) Congress authorized a Constitutional Convention to revise the Articles in February of 1787. In the months that followed the delegates assembled and addressed the concerns within our fledgling nation. This was the beginning of our Constitution of the United States.…
The United States Constitution was created to be an outline for the American government by the founding fathers. However, it can be very complicated. On many occasions, it has influenced the United States as well as the society of America. Two constitutional principles are the Bill of Rights and Checks and Balances.…
“Let our government be like that of the solar system. Let the general government be like the sun and the states the planets, repelled yet attracted, and the whole moving regularly and harmoniously in several orbits.” said John Dickinson, a Delaware Delegate in 1787 (constitutionfacts.com). The United States has a government that, for the most part, flows smoothly. However, our governing documents have not always been so harmonious. The Articles of Confederation, created and ratified in 1781 during the Revolutionary War, was the first basis for the United States of America’s central government. This was a shaky set of laws, yet it evolved into The Constitution of the United States of America. Though The Constitution was created from the Articles of Confederation, there were many differences. Three of these are differences in powers, in purposes, and in effects.…
These things are constantly being applied by the amendments and without this document many laws would not have prior history to fall back on or precedent. There are four things that are involved in the constitution that provided information on how this document is a living document. These things are Separation of power, checks and balances, judicial reviews, and the amendment process. When the constitution was created the Framers believed that separation of power was necessary to protect against potential tyranny within the three branches. Checks and balances happened to be one of the…
The Constitution grants state's representation and a stronger government as compared to the opposite with the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation value state's right because there is no judicial branch present. The Constitution created a Judicial Branch, and defines it as one supreme court. The Judicial Branch serves as a law enforcer in which the newly formed America needed. Also, the Judicial Branch would serve as another governing body to strength the power of the central government. The Articles of Confederation state for amendments to be created, “All states have to be in unison”. The Constitution allows for a stronger government by having 3/4th of the states having to be in unison to pass an amendment. This allows…
When the founding fathers drafted the Constitution, they were trying to make an “equal” government where the federal government doesn’t have all control. In order to do that, they delegated certain responsibilities to the states and to the federal government. On the issues that were not covered in the Constitution, the states would take control and make their own laws. What the founding fathers didn’t consider though is how people would interpret the Constitution years after it was drafted. The federal government’s power has increased in relation to that of the states because of such interpretations.…
There are many differences between the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution. The Articles of Confederation is the first constitution of the United States of America. The Articles of Confederation was agreed on by the Congress on November 15th, 1777 This made the people of the states fear the central authority and lengthy land claims before it was ratified. It was ratified on March 1st, 1781. While the states were under the Article of Confederation, they stayed as they were and remained autonomous and independent. The congress served as the last resort on the appeal of disputes. Congress was given the authority to do many things. They were given the authority to make treaties and or alliances if they wanted. They were…
The Constitution is a living, breathing document that is actively used by leaders and citizens alike. The reason why it is a living, breath document is because there are many parts of the Constitution that are changed every year to adapt to the ever changing United States lifestyle. One part of the Constitution, known as the elastic clause, changes almost every year. The elastic clause makes it so that Congress is able to add and abolish laws to fit the needs of the people. An example of the elastic clause is the Brown vs Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas.…
From the failures of the Articles of Confederation, the US Constitution was born. The Constitution is a massive form of US government, it explains the three branches of government, which enforce order and harmony in the government. The US Constitution clarifies the extents of power, abilities, and duties each of the three main branches of government has. Each branch of government balances each other's powers and abilities, keeping the other in check. The legislature makes the laws, the executive enforces these laws, and the judiciary interprets these laws.…
The United States Constitution is the highest law in the United States. It establishes the form of the national government and defines the rights and liberties of the American people.…