The Constitution of The United

States of America

Amanda Turner

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When was the US Constitution written?

It was drafted during the summer of 1787 and was signed on September 17th of that year.

http://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/document.html?doc=3&title.raw=Constitution%20of%20the%20United%20States

Who created the Constitution?

The founding fathers, or the men responsible for the crafting of our nation, were all involved in the creation of the Constitution.

There were 55 delegates directly involved in drafting the Constitution.

George Washington led the Constitutional Convention, where the constitution was shaped and ratified.

James Madison was the main writer of the document, however.

http://www.constitutionfacts.com/us-founding-fathers/

Why was it written?

The constitution was written because the government under the Articles of Confederation

was ineffective and weak, unable to enforce laws passed, raise a navy without state

permission, and handle uprisings like Shay’s Rebellion. They needed a stronger government.

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/us-constitution-overview

What events led to its creation?• 1775 — The Revolutionary War begins.• 1776 —The Declaration of Independence is written.• 1781 — The Articles of Confederation are created after the last battle

of the revolutionary war.• 1786 to 1787 — Shay’s Rebellion• 1786 — Representatives from five states meet at Annapolis,

Maryland, to discuss interstate trade. Because so few representatives attend, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison call for another convention to be held in Philadelphia.

• 1787 — The Constitutional Convention begins on May 25, in Philadelphia. On September 17, 1787, the representatives sign the Constitution.

• 1788 — The Constitution becomes the law of the land.

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/creating-us-constitution-time-line

Where was it written?

In the state of Pennsylvaniaat the Philadelphia State House,

also known as Independence Hall

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-constitution-signed

The constitution was modeled after several major historical documents

• The Magna Carta• The House Of Burgesses• The Mayflower Compact• The Fundamental Orders Of Connecticut• English Bill Of Rights• The Declaration Of Independence• Articles Of Confederation

Understanding the US Constitution

The Magna Carta

• Limited the power of the king by guaranteeing rights to the people.

• These rights were:–no cruel & unusual punishment– the right to a fair and speedy trial by your

peers– the government must have the peoples

approval to levy taxes

The House Of Burgesses

• Written in Virginia in 1619, the House of Burgesses is the first example of an elected representative assembly in the Americas

The Mayflower Compact

• Written by the Pilgrims when they landed near Plymouth. It is a contract of self government where government is organized for the good of the people.

The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

• Considered the first written constitution in the colonies which outlined how government worked and that the community is to work together

• All other colonies will model their constitutions like it

The English Bill Of Rights

• Monarchs William and Mary of Orange agree to allow the parliament (people) power over the monarchy.

• Additional rights gained:– freedom of speech and debate– no excessive bails, right to petition government and a right

to trial

The Declaration Of Independence

• Written by Thomas Jefferson it is made of three parts: a statement of human rights, reasons for declaring independence and the declaration.

• It explains: Unalienable rights, government gets it power from the people and people have the right to replace bad governments.

The Articles Of Confederation

• Adopted at the 2nd Continental Congress• It was a weak national government

because power resided in states• Could not collect taxes, enforce laws,

regulate trade or amend the Articles

What problems in our society did The Constitution solve?

The constitution solved the problem of the lack of governmental authority that existed with the articles of confederation. The government under the articles was weak, and could not regulate trade or tax the citizens.There were different currencies for all the different states, which had little value.

The constitution solved the problem of lack of balance in power. It instituted a system of three branches which each checked and balanced each other. In this way, no one part could take control.

Limitations of The Constitution• There is not a single branch in charge of foreign policy,

and since representatives change every few years, it is difficult to sustain long term alliances with other countries. The executive branch is generally (informally) in charge of foreign policy, so the effectiveness depends on the effectiveness of the president.

• There is a lack of a solid definition of what it means to be a citizen. This poses a problem because it has caused people to be less involved in their government.

• The failure to specify the right of privacy.• The vague nature of many clauses in the constitution.

How would I improve The Constitution?

• I would add provisions that you cannot discriminate based on genetic makeup. I think this will be necessary in the coming age.

• There should be limitations on pardons. • Add something about restoring complete rights

to felons after they served their time.• Access to voting mechanisms. Perhaps a holiday

for this.• Fix the limitations outlined in the earlier slide.

The Constitution could use some updates, but is overall extremely important today, perhaps even more than it ever has been. It

sets up a system that allows the people to be the ultimate authority, and provides steadfast rules that unite and keep order.

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