Topic: The Founding and the Constitution
- What was the primary aim of the framers of the Constitution in creating that document?
The framers of the ConstitutionConstitution’s primary aim was to divide the government (judiciary, executive, and legislative) powers into different areas with distinct powers, each spying the other. They would further divide the governmental powers between state and national governments. The framers formed a belief that a good constitution would create a government with the option of acting by force. They wanted a government that would be compelled to go by several interests and views into account when formulating policies. Another point of improvement they wanted to take care of was fastening policymaking, which was gridlocked because of institutions that shared powers directly. The framers were concerned about power and government.
2. Why did they think it was necessary?
The ConstitutionConstitution’s founding was necessary because of the interests and conflicts involved during the revolution in the U.S. There was a struggle among economic competitors and political forces that existed in the colonies. The competitors were England merchants, southern planters, shopkeepers, artisans, small farmers, and holders of royal lands, patents, and offices. The groups conflicted about issues regarding taxation, commerce, and trade (Mount, 2010). It was necessary because most governments had a limitation on collecting revenues in their respective colonies. Colonies like England needed to impose mode and new taxation measures on other colonists. The only way avenues for revenue collection was through tariffs and duties on commerce. The necessary way to end the above unrest triggered ways of founding the Constitution. The British government makes efforts to end that. The political strife and forces from the groups agitated for social and political changes.
Additionally, it was necessary because the British government needed to support demands like the tea act. The British wanted to radicalize colonialists by policy decisions before the revolution years. The framers wanted to remark on certain rights, which included life, the pursuit of happiness, and liberty, which could not be abridged by colonies. There was a pursuit for self-governance and unification of colonial groups divided because of region and philosophies.
- What did they hope to accomplish?
The framers sought to accomplish several missions by amending the Constitution that would reduce international harassment, weak governance, local rebellion, and political strife that occupied many people’s minds. They wanted to incorporate both interest and principle that would put economic powers forward. The framers tried to devise a government system that would be consistent in principles and philosophies of the day. It meant that power needed to be broken to benefit both political and economic perspectives. They sought to create a new administration that promoted trade and protected the property from radical legislation. Another factor they wanted to accomplish is the issue of slavery. There were reflections of the differences between slave and non-slave states. The slaves resided in specific areas and accounted for a significant population in those areas. The Constitution would embody principles like national supremacy where simple decisions were to be made regarding the place of slavery in the scheme. Slavery was seen to be immoral by framers and evil and an oppressive activity to the people. The designers wanted the legislative to be the most powerful arm. It was given the power to originate revenue bills. The legislative arm reflected major goals for the farmers. House of representatives was responsible to the people by encouraging popular consent for the new Constitution. To the framers, the issues of consent and power vital throughout the Constitution. They also aimed at improving national unity and established the process for amendments. Federalism was a bigger step towards greater power centralization. It was agreed that more power was to be placed at the national levels. Through the division of sovereignty systems between states and nations, the framers hoped that competition between the two sovereigns was effective in limiting powers in both cases. They also sought to accomplish the inclusion of a bill of rights in the Constitution. One of the important things they also sought to accomplish was the ConstitutionConstitution’s change through amending several segmenting (“Norton Ebooks,” n.d.).
- What did they hope to avoid?
The framers of the Constitution wanted to avoid a tyrannical rule which could be similar to that of the Britain government. They laid a new government framework by changing the position and responsibilities of the three arms of government. The power contained in each arm was defined. One of the most significant segments in the system of checks and balances they executed. It was formulated to make sure that no government arm was too powerful, therefore preventing doing away with any notion of tyranny growing in the new government formation.
- Overall, do you think they were successful? Why or why not?
Overall, the framers were successful due to various reasons. The provision for amendments was incorporated. The Constitution has been amended several times. More than eleven thousand amendments have been formally offered. The Constitution can be amended in different ways as provided. At the national level, the house’s passage and senate each by at least two-thirds of the total votes. The framers virtually guaranteed democracy and set a measure of equality that has evolved where Constitution evolved in many regions. Countries like the United States expanded from founding to what they have because of provision for amendment started by the initial framers. The Constitution has lasted for more than two centuries as a government framework because it has been able to get changed from time to time.
References
Mount, S. (2010). The Framers of the Constitution – The U.S. Constitution Online – USConstitution.net. Retrieved 2 September 2020, from https://www.usconstitution.net/constframe.html
Norton Ebooks. Retrieved 2 September 2020, from https://ncia.wwnorton.com/51724/r/goto/cfi/20!/4
States, C. (2015). The Framers were right: Sometimes, the Constitution needs to be amended. Retrieved 2 September 2020, from https://conventionofstates.com/news/the-framers-were-right-sometimes-the-constitution-needs-to-be-amended