The U.S. Constitution Essay - 1204 Words

A constitution is a written document that sets forth the fundamental rules by which a society is governed. Throughout the course of history the United States has lived under two Constitutions since the British-American colonies declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776. First in line was the Articles of Confederation (1789-1789) followed by the Constitution of United States of America (1789-present). The Articles of Confederation was the first formal written Constitution of America that specified how the national government was to operate. Unfortunately, the Articles did not last long. Under the words of the Article’s power was limited; Congress could make decisions, but had no power to enforce them. Also the articles stated†¦show more content†¦At the Constitutional Convention, delegates strongly believed in the rule of the majority, but at the same time delegates wanted to protect minorities from any unjustness done by the majority. In order to do this they separated and balanced out the powers of the national government in different branches. Other basic constitutional aims that rose up at the Constitutional Convention were separation of church and state, rights for individuals and states, ruled by the people {Americans], and supremacy of the national government. The Constitution pays a massive role in court decisions both in the federal and state cases. If the State Supreme Court cannot come to a decision on a case, the case will be turned over to the Supreme Court who has the final authority in interpreting the meaning of the Constitution in any case. The courts also have the power of judicial review—to declare a law unconstitutional. Due to the decision of Chief Justice John Marshall the Supreme Court has this power from the case of Marbury v. Madison in 1801. The case Marbury v. Madison took place during the election of 1800 when Thomas Jefferson defeated President John Adams, but the new administration did not take office until March of 1801. When the new administration took office James Madison (Secretary of State) discovered that some commissions were not delivered. One of the people whose commission had not been receivedShow MoreRelatedU.s. Constitution And The Constitution1453 Words   |  6 PagesWhen the U.S. constitution w as first signed 1776, it established a system of checks and balances, and a distinct separation of powers amongst the three branches of government. But, even with this system of checks and balances in place, it is evident that the 3 branches are not equal, and that congress is significantly more powerful than both the executive and judicial branches of government. Ultimately, the U.S. congress is the strongest branch of government because of its vast amount of enumeratedRead MoreU.s. Constitution And The Constitution1062 Words   |  5 Pages The U.S. Constitution divides the federal government into three branches, granting specific powers to each, much like â€Å"rock, paper, scissors†, constitutionally no branch of government is considered the strongest. ‘’Federal Legislative Branch– Makes laws (Congress), Federal Executive Branch – Carries out laws (President, Vice President, and Cabinet), and Federal Judicial Branch Evaluates laws (Supreme Court and Other Courts)’’. Each branch can change acts of the other branches, for example: †¢ CongressRead MoreU.s. Constitution And The Constitution1756 Words   |  8 PagesThe U.S. Constitution is the document of the principles and system of the United States government. It covers the goals of the new government, the system and purpose of each branch, how the states will work, how to amend the constitution, the supremacy of the national government, and the process of ratification. The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of America, that must be followed by everyone. The Constitution of the United States was established at the 1787 Constitutional Convention and signedRead MoreU.s. Constitution And The Constitution1437 Words   |  6 PagesThe U.S. Constitution, as adopted by the Philadelphia Convention on September 17, 1787, sets out three distinct branches of national government and provides powers to each that serve as a check on the others. The branches include the executive branch: the president, the legislative branch: congress and the judicial branch: the S upreme Court. The Constitution is referred to as a living document because it is open to constant change. Additionally, the Constitution is open to constant interpretationRead MoreU.s. Constitution And The Constitution2218 Words   |  9 Pagesspeech. These fundamental beliefs were traced back to the traditions of the English Common Law and the English Constitution. After the American Revolution the first amendment took the form of a collection of fundamental rights contained within State Constitutions. In response to a lack of national power and unity the form of U.S. Government was altered. The newly ratified U.S. Constitution created a form of government of with three branches with stronger enumerated powers. While the new structure aRead MoreU.s. Constitution And The Texas Constitution Essay1109 Words   |  5 PagesSeptember 17, 1787, the U.S. constitution was signed. The U.S. constitution is a document that has a set of rules, guidelines, and principles that governs our nati on. This constitution is the oldest written national document and has had 27 amendments. The current Texas constitution is the seventh document written for Texas. The previous six were all when Texas was still apart of Mexico. The current constitution hasn’t been revised since 1876, which makes it the longest state constitution in the United StatesRead MoreU.s. Constitution And Texas Constitution Essay895 Words   |  4 PagesBoth the U.S. Constitution and Texas Constitution, demonstrate a parallelism between civil liberties that guarantees personal freedoms that the government cannot deprive from its citizens without due process, in which this case will demonstrate. In 1981, the parents of several school aged children of Mexican Origin filed a suit against Superintendent James Plyler, of Tyler, Texas, regarding immigration status. The Plyler v. Doe (457 U.S. 202 (1982)) case decision could not have happened prior toRead MoreU.S. Constitution1087 Words   |  5 PagesConstitution Paper The United States Constitution provides the National Government three distinctive branches of government: the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial Branch, each with its own form of powers, duties and roles. Separation of powers and duties within the branches enable them to check and balance one another as well as balance the authority of the other two. Article 1 of the Constitution is the Legislative Branch which makes up The House of Representatives and Senate, collectivelyRead MoreU.S. Constitution vs. Jamaican Constitution1444 Words   |  6 PagesUpon initial consideration, one would presume that the United States Constitution and the Constitution of Jamaica would not be similar at all. After all, the United States Constitution was ratified in 1787, whereas the Jamaican Constitution was not ratified until 1962, the year Jamaica gained its independence. At first glance, Jamaicas constitution appears to be most similar to that of England, because they both establish a parliament and share the same chief of state (Queen Elizabeth II). TheseRead MoreThe Creation Of The U.s. Constitution1330 Words   |  6 Pagescreation of the U.S. Constitution consisted of a series of conflicts and compromises. The competing interests of the central players that created the U.S Constitution had to focus on achievable goals rather than their o wn political interests. The political process can be conflictual but the process matters. It is essential to implementing decisions in our government, which provides order and our general welfare. Some conflicts that can be seen in the creation of the Constitution are political theories