Preview

How Did The Founding Fathers Get It Right

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1118 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Did The Founding Fathers Get It Right
Did the Founding Fathers Get it Right?
In 1787 our founding fathers gathered in the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, in the exact same room our Declaration of Independence had been signed a few years prior. This group of men was faced with the immense task of drafting the Constitution of the United States of America. Our founding fathers showed such brilliant foresight in how they structured this foundational document by recognizing the need for a Constitution designed to keep our government regulated. We will be exploring different facets within the structure of the Constitution, looking closely at some of those regulations such as Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances. Through this exploration we will come to understand the importance of these aspects, why they are so
…show more content…
But did our founding fathers get it right? In my opinion they may have overlooked an important check on a very powerful branch of the government. I consider the legislative branch to be the most powerful of our branches. The legislative branch, also known as Congress, is very large having a total of 535 members, 100 Senators and 435 members of the House of Representatives. Senators are elected officials serving six year terms before coming up for reelection. Representatives are elected officials serving 2 year terms before coming up for reelection. Currently there is no limit to the number of terms a congressman can serve and in most cases a congressmen runs for reelection continually, meaning that, if they keep winning, they could basically hold their congressional seat for life. This, in effect, has produced professional politicians, a group of individuals with ongoing authority and influence. Is it wise to allow the legislative branch to continue with this optimal power position unchecked? Was this the intent of the founders who designed the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Without the decisions the government made together we would've never came into an equal equality, without solving the world’s biggest problems. In the summer of 1787 , fifty five delegates representing twelve of the thirteen states met in philadelphia to fix the national gov’t. The problem was that the government under the articles of confederation, the challenge was to create a strong central government without letting anyone get too much power. How did the Constitution Guard against Tyranny? In further reading you will see how they divided the powers that were given to them to help the nation and states around the world, that fills up the world’s problems.…

    • 630 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the book “A Brilliant Solution: Inventing the American Constitution” by Carol Berkin she explains the constitution from start to finish from how it all began, to the debates inside the convention and finally the end product. Berkin takes the reader and puts him directly in the middle of the convention of 1786; throughout the book you can feel the excitement, the frustration, the tensions between delegates and the overall commitment to making a new government work for all.…

    • 1012 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The system of checks and balances is an important part of the United States Constitution. The three branches of the government representing the separation of powers – executive, legislative, and judicial – each hold specific responsibilities. Checks and balances is a method set in place so that no branch of the government can become to powerful by allowing each branch to limit the powers of the others. This is accomplished by each branch checking the powers of the other branches to ensure the balance between all three. “The rationale of the separation of powers is often elided with the rationale of checks and balances and with the rationale of the dispersal of power generally in a constitutional system” (Waldron).…

    • 799 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Summer Of 1787 Summary

    • 918 Words
    • 4 Pages

    It’s easy to find yourself following a predetermined path, a basic template that is rooted in every person’s mind by the age of 10. We go to elementary school, then middle school, then high school, where we start trying to get good grades for the first time to get into a decent college, graduate with a major or two, start internships, get a stable job, etc. At what point did we stop believing our innocent declarations of being an astronaut or being President of the United States? In The Summer of 1787, the author explores the long drawn out process of making the Constitution. He gives insight on each character that contributed and shows the extreme level of dedication and determination every single one of them had.…

    • 918 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Starting on May 25th of 1787 and lasting until September 17th of 1787 the creation and ratification of the United States Constitution is an integral part of American history. Moreover, the study of American history tends to neglect mentioning the “behind the scenes” that progressed the creation of America’s federated Constitutional Republic. “Plain, Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution” by Richard Beeman is designed to demonstrate the diversity amongst Founding Fathers’ beliefs, intentions, and contributions to the Constitution and government. The narrative styled historical nonfiction follows the Constitutional Conventions of the late 1700’s including detailed debates surrounding slavery, representation, treasury, and ultimately…

    • 763 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In May, 1787, 55 men from 11 states gathered in Philadelphia for the Constitutional Convention. The object of the meeting was to frame a government that was strong enough to hold the states and people together, but also could guard against tyranny. At the time, the Articles of Confederation was in use, but it wasn’t working. So the framers were stuck with a big question. How could the new constitution guard against tyranny? Now, we know that the constitution guards against tyranny because it has federalism, checks and balances, separation of powers, and how representation is set up.…

    • 663 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    One does not need to be a genius, but if in a situation where several team up they can create something just as brilliant. The constitution’s brilliance of never ending relevance starts with its limitations of government but still being able to be amended, there are three methods in which the constitution sought to limit the area of power in the three organs of government, all through the bill of rights, system of checks and balances, and federalism. Are we not, one nation that takes pride in equality, not only with other nations but internally as well? As a collective, we consistently change; therefore the option to have a system to change with us is of paramount importance; in which our constitution fulfills this need.…

    • 647 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    One of the most important contributions of early American political thinkers to modern constitutionalism is the lesson that power ought to be divided into multiple institutions that share various governmental powers while checking each other.…

    • 1135 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Our Founding Fathers never expected Congressmen to serve life-long terms. They had intended on a system of citizens serving for a few years and then returning to their respective communities. Nowadays, our representatives are making permanent careers out of Congressional positions. They are able to maintain their place in government and make a living off of pay raises and benefits. Polling of voters has shown that there is a general distaste for political careerism.…

    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Founding Fathers Beliefs

    • 322 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Founding Fathers all had ideas of how they wanted the government to look, but they put aside their differences to come together and form it. Based on their ideologies, the Founding Fathers had a common vision that the political method should identify the common good. They wanted the people to have knowledge of information they needed. The Founding Fathers believed that the people should be informed about the way the government runs, the role of government in their lives, and the innate rights that all citizens should have.…

    • 322 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The idea of American exceptionalism is not a new one. Thomas Jefferson spoke of civilizing the Indians many believed they were savages. Surely the Native Americans thought the white newcomers were the savages. The white men forced the Natives off of the “new” land and proceeded to murder them. The United States continues this tradition today, going into countries where we are not welcome, and trying to change them, make them more like us.…

    • 480 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The framers’ deliberately ambiguous and vague design of the enumerated powers of the executive branch acts as a gateway in allowing the presidency to expand in both size and influence in government. Whereas Article I of the Constitution was drafted to safeguard against Madison’s fear of an all-powerful legislative and hence delineates every power of Congress in great…

    • 1344 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The compelling arguments made by Federalists and anti-Federalists regarding the office and powers of the presidency leading up to and during the ratifying debates at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 were persuasive, and distinctly at odds. Both sides however, sought the same thing, how best to allocate power in a unified republic of states? From this question opposing views developed as to whether or not an executive power in the form of a president should exist, and if so, what powers they should be vested with. I will examine briefly, the opposing views of some of these presidential powers in the interest of offering a clear understanding of their differing motivations. I will then offer my opinion as to which made the better argument.…

    • 1813 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Founding Fathers

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The United States' Founding Fathers had a difficult task in creating a new type of government that would protect peoples rights and states all while giving the states enough powers for the federal government. The Constitution was approved by the states and passed into law after arguments and solutions at the Constitutional Convention.…

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Separation of Powers

    • 1733 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The purpose of this paper is to discuss the Separation of Powers doctrine built into the Constitution. Discussion will cover the origins of the doctrine, the factors that made it attractive to the founding fathers, and the question of its usefulness in modern America.…

    • 1733 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays