The Constitution created a strong national government, while at the same time limited the power of the national government in order to protect the rights of the people through states rights. In 1776 America won its independence from Great Britain. For several years the new nation was ruled over by the Articles of Confederation. However, the national government was weak, the military was weak, and there was massive debt. In 1787, delegates met during the summer writing a new Constitution. In 1789, the Constitution of the United States was ratified replacing the Articles of Confederation. Documents one and two showed how the Constitution has created a strong national government. In Article Six of the Constitution(Doc 1) it is stated, “This …show more content…
In 1774 both the Administration of Justice Act and Quartering Act were passed by parliament in response to the Boston Tea Party. The Administrative Justice Act allowed royal officers to request a trial in Great Britain, but few colonists could afford the travel to testify. The Quartering Act allowed soldiers to stay in a civilian's home. Document five is The Bill of Rights added by James Madison for those who feared the government would restrict the rights of the people. The Bill of Rights defended the rights of the people from the Administrative Justice and Quartering Act. The third amendment of The Bill of Rights required the civilians permission to allow a soldier into the person’s home. The fourth amendment gave a citizen the right to privacy from the government in their home, therefore the soldier would not be allowed to enter the home. The sixth amendment required a public trial by a jury of the their peers requiring the royal officer accused a crime to remain. The Bill of Rights also gave the people the right to freedom of expression under the first amendment. Finally amendment nine claimed that the Constitution could not be used to limit the rights of the people. Document six is a diagram of the members of each branch of government. While the Constitution was being written all the world leaders were either kings or emperors none elected by the people. In order to …show more content…
President Lincoln Commander in Chief of the Union Military intended to join the Confederacy and the Union together again. In the North during the war there would be those in support and those against it. In June of 1861 President Lincoln expanded the power of the national government by authorizing military officers to suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus. Lincoln’s argument that being the Commander in Chief, as stated in the Constitution, required him to win the war in the South. However he claimed he could not win without suspending the Writ of Habeas Corpus. Congress in 1863 passed a bill suspending the Writ of Habeas Corpus which President Lincoln signed into law. The law gave more power to the national government as people considered a threat would be arrested and held in prison until the end of the