QUESTION

The US Constitution has proven to be one of the most significant legal documents in world history. This week, I want you to reflect on the importance of the Constitution in defining the early republic. How does the Constitution reflect American ideals, values, and (of course) the challenges facing the new nation? What do the proceedings tell us about those who wrote the Constitution and the problems facing the United States at the end of the eighteenth century?

Chapter8
Roark, James L., et. al. The American Promise: A Concise History. 6th ed., vol. 1: To 1877,      Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2017.

                                                              SAMPLE SOLUTION

The United States Constitution was drafted after the failure of articles of confederation to control powerful State governments. This document outlined the structure of government from 1781 – 1788. However, the inability of the Confederation government to pay war debts, deal with western settlers and make peace with the Indians, some leaders suggested a change to the articles of confederation leading to the writing of the US constitution in 1787 during the constitutional convention in Philadelphia (Roark et al. 218). This paper discusses how the Constitution reflects American ideals, values as well as the challenges facing the new nation.

The constitution reflects the American ideals and values by giving the government power to address the needs of the new nation. The Constitution extends the powers of the federal government beyond the limits stipulated under the Articles of Confederation. This improved the government’s power to address the needs of the people (Roark et al. 229). The constitution also reflects American values and ideals by promoting liberty and protecting the public from government oppression. The framers of the constitution were aware that the powers of the federal government could be used to restrict liberty. As a result, the constitution created a more complex form of government divided into three branches; the executive, the Judiciary and the executive each with its functions. This limited the power of the government through balance and checks on all the branches.

The proceedings tell us that those who wrote the constitution wanted it to address the problems that the articles of confederation could not solve. For example, the constitution provides a mechanism for ratification where only a fraction of the thirteen states was required to pass the law unlike in the previous confederation government. The United States faced various problems at the end of the eighteenth century. One of the major problems that faced the new nation was inequality and slavery. Despite the natural equality revolutions, minorities were still being enslaved and denied the chance to vote (the Cuffe brothers) (Roark et al. 216). Another problem was the economic problems towards the end of the eighteenth century due to the failure of the confederation government to settle war debts.