ipl-logo

What Is Amending The Constitution Essay

553 Words3 Pages

Erin Dyer
Professor Simpson
Intro to Government
17 September 2017

Amending the Constitution After the failure of the Articles of Confederation, James Madison, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and many others attended the Philadelphia Convention to draft a governing document for the United States of America. The Constitution they signed exactly 230 years ago today has remained to be the most important document of our nation, the guideline to all of our laws and the basis of our national government, balance between the power between the state and national government, and protector of the rights of its citizens. As our nation continues to grow and times change, the needs of the American citizen changes as well. It's imperative that the Constitution is able to withhold and support the changes that our nation faces. Often referred to as a "living document" …show more content…

Social contract theory states that "people agree to give up some rights in the exchange for the protection of others" (Barbour, Wright p. 16). Social contract theory plays a major role in democracy, and requires that citizens are actively involved within their government. I do not think that paying taxes, voting, and occasionally sitting in on a jury is enough. Every citizen should be required to serve two years in public service after high-school completion. Public service could include military, civilian government positions, and even approved non-profit organizations. By asking the citizen to be more engaged within their community, you are empowering the community. People care much more about something that they feel that they are a part of, and by giving more responsibility to the citizen I believe that not only will communities strengthen, but the local and state governments as well. With more active participation, the state will be able to give back more to its

Show More
Related

Summary Of The Federalist Paper No. 67

1289 Words | 6 Pages

Following the ratification of the United States’ Constitution, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison compiled a list of letters to provide more information to the American public. These letters, also known as the Federalist Papers, detail the specifics regarding branches of government, status of citizenship, and the democratic role of the people.  Federalist Paper No. 67, titled the Executive Department and written by Alexander Hamilton, focuses on the powers of the executive branch and calms the fears of the doubtful citizens. In addition, it provides information on the executive branch’s responsibilities and ways to increase the overall effectiveness of running an admirable government for the newly-independent United States of America.

Read More

DBQ Essay: The United States Constitution

1159 Words | 5 Pages

DBQ Essay The United States Constitution is a document that or founding fathers made in order to replace the failing Articles of Confederation (A of C). Under the Constitution, the current government and states don’t have the problems they faced when the A of C was in action. The Constitution was created in 1788, and held an idea that the whole nation was nervous about. This idea was a strong national government, and the Federalist assured the people that this new government would work. The framers of the Constitution decided to give more power to the Federal government rather than the state governments because the A of C had many problems, there was a need for the layout of new government, rights, and laws, and there was a need for the Federal

Read More

How Did The Articles Of Confederation Flawed Form Of Government

1910 Words | 8 Pages

THE CONSTITUTION: A NECESSITY AND AN IMPROVEMENT Jaideep Singh History 7: Research Paper 2 October 25, 2017 THE CONSTITUTION Americans, as a whole, like to pride over our government. The United States possesses one of the most complex and efficient form of government in the world.

Read More

Ratifying The Constitution Dbq

993 Words | 4 Pages

The United States Constitution was written in seventeen eighty seven to address governmental weaknesses that existed in the Articles of the Confederation, the first articles written during the Revolutionary War to establish regulations for a unified government. The Constitution not only established law, it incorporated basic rights for citizens and dictated to what extent the government could rule. Albeit an improvement to the Articles of the Confederation, according to “The Great Debate”, in order for the Constitution to go into effect, “ratification from nine states” was required. Gaining full support of nine states for ratification was not an easy feat; the changes to the Articles created a divide amongst delegates, the two sides were

Read More

Ratification Of The Constitution Dbq Essay

1004 Words | 5 Pages

Following the end of the American Revolution marked a new set of problems for the United States. As impending war debts were threatening to crush the new nation, America knew they needed to address the flaws of the Articles of Confederation through a Constitutional Convention. The United States Constitution of 1787 was created in hopes of developing a stronger and more effective governing body while still upholding America’s virtues of freedom. Unfortunately, with change, comes opposition, and many people feared that the Constitution would be oppressive and undermine the autonomy of the individual states through its strong central government. Because of this, the issues that sparked the greatest controversies during the ratification of the

Read More

NFIB V. Sebelius

1935 Words | 8 Pages

It is quite difficult to ascribe modern meaning to ancient texts. One could argue that there is no greater folly. The Constitution has been the guiding document of this country since its ratification over two hundred and thirty years ago, and for all of its scruples, is still the most important political document ever written. Thus, it is the role of several of our most hallowed institutions to ascribe modern meanings to ancient texts. The main visionary behind the Constitution, James Madison, would not understand our world today.

Read More

Crafters Of 1787

1482 Words | 6 Pages

This paper will argue that the crafters of the Constitution of 1787 needed to contend with multiple complicated issues. The crafters of the 1787 Constitution were faced with a mass of complex issues. Their challenge was not only to create a document that reflected the ideals of democracy and governance, but also to devise a system that could endure the test of time and adapt to future challenges. An example of

Read More

Comparing The Declaration Of Independence And The US Constitution

1075 Words | 5 Pages

Consequently, on September 17, 1787, the U.S Constitution was initially formed of seven articles which were composed in order to achieve a greater central government. With the intention of a better nation, the Constitution must primarily accomplish four ideal responsibilities: First, the Constitution needs to be a durable and dependable source of laws and policies; Second, the Constitution has to implant a self-imposed limitation, restriction, and separation of powers (system of checks and balances); Third, the Constitution must require elected officials to represent the publics' interests; Last, the Constitution has to legally hold elected officials solely responsible to the public they serve (McClellan, 2000). Notably, the Constitution has been amended 27 times to expand on the preservation and protection of individuals’ civil rights, liberty, and justice. The Constitution of the United States is the fundamental foundation of the U.S. Government and thus, the American Constitution is the supreme law of the United States (Art. VI, cl.

Read More

Checks And Balances As A Part Of The American Revolution

486 Words | 2 Pages

Furthermore, the American Constitution that came after the revolutionary war is also considered to be a document that created and inspired changes that had not been done before. It’s incorporation of checks and balances in a federal republic and its values in American people’s rights ensured that a new liberated governing system was established. Another thing that made the constitution distinctively different was that it was open to being adaptable to changes that could be made over time with amendments. By establishing adaptability within the Constitution, the government could truly become a

Read More

Arguments Against The Articles Of Confederation

1111 Words | 5 Pages

It should be the thought of any person capable of reason that the Federalist argument regarding the system of government is one requiring the utmost consideration possible. Those that argue against the ratification of the United States Constitution are arguing in favor of a document in need of too many corrections to be practical when a replacement is ready to take its place. The Articles lasted this young country through the War for Independence but they are unstable and now is the time to replace them with a basis that will provide America with unity, strength, and balance: exactly what this Constitution will provide. Under the Articles of Confederation, this nation will become weak and be ripe for the picking by the empires across the sea.

Read More

Essay On The 14th Amendment

565 Words | 3 Pages

The Constitution of the United States of America is commonly known as a living document. As such, changes in governmental policy are expected, and occur frequently. However, many rights Americans enjoy today were interpreted by a specific branch of the federal government. A considerable portion of the federal government's power is either implied within the Constitution, or has been added through amendments.

Read More

Founding Fathers Opinion Essay

542 Words | 3 Pages

On September 17, 1787, 39 of the colony’s brightest men convened to sign a document, consequently changing the course of the world. The Constitution of the United States of America set the newborn nation on course to become an economic powerhouse, an uncontested military force, and a global symbol of freedom. How did the founding fathers build a political frame in one document that would last through time and allow America to escalate at an unparalleled rate? The country’s framers recognized the unique opportunity presented to them to start a government from scratch. They wanted to raise up a country stable enough to withstand world wars, natural disasters, and political division.

Read More

Two Changes In The Constitution Essay

611 Words | 3 Pages

Two changes I would make in the constitution both fall into the second article. This is the article concerning the presidential election process and duties. While other articles could of course be modified in some way or another, I find that the two changes I came up with could be agreed with by almost everyone. I tried to make these decision not based on how I feel about politics and my beliefs, but instead I made my decisions based on what is best for everybody. I wanted to put my political affiliation aside for this question because in the grand scheme of things what I will suggest are things that could legitimately be addressed without too much complication.

Read More

Ratification Of The Constitution Essay

494 Words | 2 Pages

The new constitution, a document granting the framework for a new democratic government, replacing the Articles of the Confederation. This new document gained approval from some of the citizens, but also raised questions and concerns from others. There was a constant back and forth between the two groups on whether or not the constitution should be ratified. This editorial provides historical background on the issue and expresses my opinion on which side I would’ve chosen.

Read More

Essay On Amending The Constitution

605 Words | 3 Pages

Amending the Constitution The United States Constitution was ratified by all the original 13 colonies on May 29, 1790 (History.com). The reason for the states feeling the need to create the Constitution was because the states were operating like independent countries instead of a whole unified country. The Constitution was supposed to unite everyone. Today, the Constitution has 27 amendments and through all the changes this country has gone through since it was ratified in 1790, it has continued remain an important staple of our modern government.

Read More

More about What Is Amending The Constitution Essay

Related Topics

Open Document