The US Constitution

Definitions

• A set of rights, powers and procedures which underpin the workings of a political system

• The rules of the political game

• Establishes the formal distribution of power for each political institution

• And where the limits are – checks and balances

Purpose

• Determines two key relationships:

• 1. Between different political institutions

• Eg who has more power – Congress or the President?

• 2. Between political institutions and the people

• Eg the Bill of Rights

So we know …

• Who makes law?

• Who passes law?

• Who enforces law?

History

• May 1787: the Philadelphia Convention

• 55 male delegates from the original 13 states:

• The Founding Fathers (or the Framers)

Key principles

• Separation of powers• Baron de Montesquieu

Key principles

• Checks and balances

• Example:

• The confirmation process:

• President nominates, Senate confirms

Key principles

• Provision of rights• Bill of Rights• First ten amendments

to the Constitution, 1791

• Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man

Influence of Thomas Jefferson

• Drafted the Declaration of Independence, 1776

• Behind the Bill of Rights, 1791

• President 1801-1809

Key principles

• Responsible Government

• Contract Theory• John Locke

Key principles

• Federalism• Original federal state• Remember: the states

came together to create the centre in 1787