| Constitution Essay, Research Paper
U.S. Constitution
The Constitution of the United States has been the law of the nation since
1789. It was written at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. It calls for a
government of limited powers. Fifty-five delegates, representing twelve states,
drafted the document. All thirteen states voted to accept it by May 29, 1790. The
first Congress drafted twelve amendments. The states ratified ten. Those ten
amendments became known as the Bill of Rights. The president of the convention
was George Washington and he was later elected as the first president of the United
States. (see photo)
The governments of each state had certain rights. These rights were
represented by the Congress of the United States. The Congress consisted of a
Senate and a House of Representatives. Each state/colony (see map) had two
members of the Senate. And the number of representatives in the House was as
follows; New Hampshire had three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island one,
Connecticut five, New York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware
one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, Georgia
three. (see graph)
The elements that many of the first state Constitutions had in common were
the same concerns. They all were fearful that their interests would not have equal
representation. Many plans were debated. There was a Virginia Plan that gave more
populous states control and a New Jersey Plan which gave all states equal
representation.
The real problem did not lie between the large and small states; it lay
between the northern and southern states. This quote was made by James Madison
to the delegates of the Convention. The counting of people in each state for
representation and tax purposes was actually the problem. (see quote)
The Connecticut Plan was called the final compromise or the three fifths
compromise. The problem was solved by counting free persons and slaves. Five
slaves were counted as three persons. This plan was ratified and was used to come
up with the number of delegates that each state had in the senate and House of
representatives, as stated above.
The Constitution of the United States begins…..
We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union,
establish justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense,
promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of liberty to ourselves our
Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of
America.(see excerpt)
The Constitution, as the basic and supreme law of the land, has been running
our country for more than 200 years.
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