Through the grants of power in the U.S. Constitution, the Framers sought to empower government and limit it. This was accomplished through the federalism system of government which distributed authority between the national and individual state governments.
They wanted amendments to be made thoughtfully and with consensus. (APEX)
A constitution amendment
The framers of the Constitution had already fought a war to rid themselves of a tyrannical government and wanted to take precautions to avoid this happening in the new nation. They sought to divide the powers between the states and government to assure neither entity would become too powerful.
The Lecompton Constitution was one of several state constitutions proposed to the US Congress for approval by the territory of Kansas, as it sought to become a US state. President James Buchanan, although he was not the president at the time, was a supporter of the Lecompton Constitution, which would have preserved slave-owner rights in the new state. Kansas was admitted as a free state in 1861, due to the opposition of abolitionists living their at the time.
Balance of powersThe Framers of the Constitution, following John Locke and Edmund Burke, late 17th century political philosophers, sought to curtail governmental tyranny.Montesquieu, a French political philosopher, proffered to split the powers of the government into executive, legislative and judicial. John Madison, among others, was impressed by these thoughts of diffusing the power of government to maximize the liberties of humankind.Thus the Constructional Convention accepted this idea. In addition, to further the diffusion of governmental power, it gave unenumerated powers to the States.
The intent of the framers of the Articles of Confederation was to create a small government. The framers also sought to create a cohesive Constitution.
They wanted amendments to be made thoughtfully and with consensus. (APEX)
The most important political value for the framers of the Constitution was the principle of limited government. They sought to create a system that would prevent any single branch from becoming too powerful, ensuring a balance of power through checks and balances. This emphasis on limiting governmental authority aimed to protect individual liberties and promote a republic that represented the will of the people while safeguarding against tyranny.
The framers of the Constitution aimed to prevent tyranny in several forms, including tyranny of the majority, where a dominant group could oppress minority interests, and tyranny of the executive, where a single leader could wield unchecked power. They sought to establish a system of checks and balances among the branches of government to ensure that no single entity could dominate or abuse power. Additionally, they were wary of the potential for factionalism, where organized groups could manipulate government for their own gain at the expense of the common good. Overall, the framers designed the Constitution to protect individual liberties and promote a balanced, representative government.
Charles Beard argued that the framers of the U.S. Constitution were wealthy landowners who sought to protect their economic interests. He believed that the Constitution reflected their desire to maintain their power and influence over the government, rather than truly serving the interests of the broader population. Beard's analysis emphasized the role of economic motivations in shaping the document.
A constitution amendment
A constitution amendment
A constitution amendment
The Texas Constitution of 1836 established the Republic of Texas and granted broad powers to the president. The Constitution of 1845 admitted Texas as a state, but maintained many provisions from the 1836 constitution, including the strong executive branch. The Constitution of 1876, in response to concerns of centralized power, sought to limit the authority of the governor and return power to smaller governments, such as county governments. It also included provisions aimed at limiting state debt and land grants.
The men who sought a strong union and who fought for the adoption of the Constitution.
The two states sought to ensure strong backing for ratification of The Constitution of the United States were Delaware and Pennsylvania. These were the first two states to sign.
The framers of the Constitution had already fought a war to rid themselves of a tyrannical government and wanted to take precautions to avoid this happening in the new nation. They sought to divide the powers between the states and government to assure neither entity would become too powerful.