Reflections of and Consistencies with the Declaration of Independence Found in the Us Constitution
December 15, 2012
US History I Honors
Reflections of and Consistencies with
The Declaration of Independence
Found in the US Constitution
The Founding Fathers of the United States of America sought to create a new nation void of tyranny and flush with opportunity for the common man. United States’ escape from the oppressing hands of George III gave way for a sense of pride and unequivocal love of freedom that is seen repeatedly in the establishing documents of the United States. The writers of the Declaration of Independence vowed “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Ensuring a government by and for the people was not only a common theme for the Declaration of Independence, but also an idea enforced in the Constitution. For example, elected officials in Congress shall be renewed often, “every second Year by the people of the several States” (a.1, s.2) for the House of Representatives, and “two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years” (a.1, s.3) comprising the Senate. The short terms and citizen-driven elections of these two sects of the Congress allowed for the most current wishes of the American people to have voices in the government, and for the diminished likelihood and easy eradication of corrupt members. Furthermore, the Seventeenth Amendment changed the Senate rules for elected officials in 1913 to have the Senators chosen by the people directly, making for the most desirable United States Congress possible.
Article V of the Constitution states that “The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution … and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.”(a.5, s.1) This statement reflects most prominently on the “consent of the governed” portion of the Declaration excerpt found above. In order to institute a
US History I Honors
Reflections of and Consistencies with
The Declaration of Independence
Found in the US Constitution
The Founding Fathers of the United States of America sought to create a new nation void of tyranny and flush with opportunity for the common man. United States’ escape from the oppressing hands of George III gave way for a sense of pride and unequivocal love of freedom that is seen repeatedly in the establishing documents of the United States. The writers of the Declaration of Independence vowed “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Ensuring a government by and for the people was not only a common theme for the Declaration of Independence, but also an idea enforced in the Constitution. For example, elected officials in Congress shall be renewed often, “every second Year by the people of the several States” (a.1, s.2) for the House of Representatives, and “two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years” (a.1, s.3) comprising the Senate. The short terms and citizen-driven elections of these two sects of the Congress allowed for the most current wishes of the American people to have voices in the government, and for the diminished likelihood and easy eradication of corrupt members. Furthermore, the Seventeenth Amendment changed the Senate rules for elected officials in 1913 to have the Senators chosen by the people directly, making for the most desirable United States Congress possible.
Article V of the Constitution states that “The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution … and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.”(a.5, s.1) This statement reflects most prominently on the “consent of the governed” portion of the Declaration excerpt found above. In order to institute a