The US Constitution & The Constitutional Convention

Often times we overlook our government, along with its fundamental laws and the basic rights that are guaranteed to us by the Constitution. Through trial and error, the Articles of Confederation were overrided from the 13 states as it proved to be weak in providing the federal government control in areas that were vital to secure a stable union. The Colonies had fought a war to the end against a tyrannical, centralized entity that held total control, so they were paranoid of giving so much power to one government. At the 1787 convention, delegates devised a plan for a stronger federal government with three branches: executive, legislative and judicial. This along with a system of checks and balances to ensure no single branch would have too much power. It was then signed on September 17, 1787, by delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. The Bill of Rights was later introduced in 1791, and guaranteed basic individual protections, such as freedom of speech and Religion.

This came to be through the constitutional convention, where delegates from the 12 states gathered in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. Much debate ensued over the size, scope, and structure of the Federal government. The composition of the Legislative branch was also debated between consisting of one house (unicameral), or of two houses (bicameral), and how representation in this branch should be divided. James Madison proposed that more representation would be given to the states with higher populace (The Virginia plan), but the smaller states opposed this. A counter offer was made for the New Jersey Plan, in which each states had one vote and the legislature would be unicameral.

Ultimately, the delegates agreed upon having combined elements of both plans, and this was known as the Conneticut Compromise. The legislative branch would be bicameral, consisting of an upper house—the Senate—and a lower house—the House of Representatives. Representation in the House would be based on population, and each state was allotted two seats in the Senate. The office of the president would constitute the executive authority and was to be chosen by the electoral college.

The Structure of the Government would be federalist in nature, consisting of three independent branches: the legislature, Congress; the executive, the president: and the judicial, the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court would adjudicate disputes between states, and Congress was authorized to levy taxes, declare war, raise an army, regulate interstate commerce, and draft laws consistent with the purpose of exercising these powers.

Before ratification, the constitution had many opponents, this stemming from the fact that there was still fear about handing over power to a federal government. Massachusets, New York and Virginia were home to rural populations that sympathized with Shayʻs rebellion and the economic injustice from the part of government, as they had no trust in it afterwards. This is where Bill of Rights came into play, to secure the freedoms and rights of each individual and to be protected by the law if these are infringed. This would ensure that thenatural rights of individuals would be respected by the Federal Government.