Tyranny Dbq

How the Constitution Protects Against Tyranny A tyrant is described as an absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, and results in cruelty to defend their position with repressive means. Historically, tyranny was used to suppress the citizens of countries and rule under a dictatorship. When the United States gained independence from Great Britain, the citizens of the United States wanted to guard against cruelty and mistreatment. To guard against tyranny, the framers of the constitution incorporated the use of federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, and equal representation for larger and smaller states. Federalism is the combination of powers delegated to the federal government and the state government. When creating the constitution,

James Madison directly explains the purpose of dividing the powers among the three branches to protect against tyranny, “...the constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner as that they may be a check on the other...” By separating the powers and creating a system of checks and balances to guard against tyranny, the framers of the United States constitution directly aimed to protect the constitutional rights and liberties of individual citizens and the future of the nation. Just as the creators of the constitution sought to protect the citizens of the United States against tyranny with the separation of powers and checks and balances, the framers of the constitution also protected the rights of states with larger and smaller populations. To protect the rights of larger states and smaller states, the framers created a bicameral legislature system with the house of representatives and the senate. The members of the house of representatives are determined based on each states population, while the senate has 2 members per state, allowing for both large and small states to have equal

One outside source that exemplifies and explains these powers is the annotated constitution provided by the federal government. The website starts by citing the part of the constitution it was taken from, and explains the purpose behind it. “The principle, that it can exercise only the powers granted to it, would seem too apparent.That principle is now universally admitted.” The choice to list the enumerated powers divided amongst the federal and state governments prevents one group from gaining more power. By limiting the number of powers each part of government is in control of, both federal and state governments are forced to work in unison and create a balanced government and guard against tyranny. The integration of federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, equal representation for larger and smaller states, and enumerated powers creates a unified government to prevent tyranny. Through the implementation of these powers, the framers of the constitution aimed to guard individual liberties and the rights given to all United States