The United States Constitution

When was the Constitution written?

•The Constitutional Convention met for the first time on May 25, 1787.

•The Constitution was created over the course of the following four months, and was finalized on Monday, September 17, 1787.

Who created the Constitution?•Fifty-five delegates from twelve states created the Constitution at the Constitutional Convention.

•Thirty-nine of the fifty-five delegates signed the Constitution.

•Some famous names include: George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin.

Why was the Constitution written?•The United States Constitution was written due to the weak central government created by the Articles of Confederation, which was inadequate to the social, diplomatic, and economic problems the new nation faced.

•The delegates wanted to re-create the framework of the United States Government, separating it into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial.

•The relationship between Federal and State government was refined as well.

What events led to the creation of the Constitution?

•The weak central government created by the Articles of Confederation.

•The American Revolution created a weak United States as well, and many farmers began to revolt.

•Shays’s Rebellion, where farmers attacked courthouses to prevent judges from foreclosing on farms.

•War debts and a slow recovering economy from postwar depression.

Where was the Constitution written?

•Written at the Philadelphia State House, now known as Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

What historical documents was the Constitution modeled after?•The Magna Carta- the idea that power should not be held within a single person or group.

•The ideas of Montesquieu- separation of powers and constitutionalism.

•The Social Contract- by Jean Jacques Rousseau, stating that the government should be of the people.

•The ideas of John Locke- all men are created equal under God.

•The English Bill of Rights- goes along with the Magna Carta, decisions such as enacting laws, raising taxes, or keeping an army, should not be made by a single person or group.

What problems did the Constitution solve?•The people are the source of the national government’s power.

•Bicameral Congress is the structure of the legislature.

•Equal votes in the Senate and representation based on population in the House are the basis of representation in Congress.

•Congress will now pass laws by simple majority vote, with provision for a presidential vote.

•Congress will have the power to regulate commerce and tax.

•There will be one executive, elected by the people and removeable by Congress.

•There will be a national court system with power to overturn state laws as a judicial branch.

What are the Constitutions limitations?

•The checks and balances: the government power is limited due to the different powers for each branch; no branch is all-powerful.

•The government has to obey the law.

How would you improve the Constitution?

• I don’t think I would really change the Constitution at all, there is not much room left for refinement (excluding the idea that all “men”, and not women are created equal). A separation of powers is definitely a necessity, and the idea of a state and federal government is brilliant. However, the execution of the Constitution could probably use some refinement. Our government needs to examine the ideals more closely and follow them exactly.

Do you feel the Constitution is as relevant

today as when it was first created?

•Of course the Constitution is still as relelvant today. Certain ideas or laws may have been changed, but our government still uses the Constitution to determine if laws may be “unconstitutional” or not. A division of powers is still present, we still have a democracy, and all men are created equal.