Megan Boccardi's Discussion Questions
Please continue reading Charlotte Temple and the other novels over the break. We will discuss these texts after the break. For this week please take a look at the Constitution, the debate over the Bank of the US by Jefferson and Hamiliton, the Alien and Sedition Acts and the Virginia and Kentucky Resolves.
After reading these documents, please think about the Constitution and its impact on post-Revolutionary America. What role did the document play in shaping the relationship between the government and the people? How do debates over the national bank and the Alien and Sedition Acts continue the debate over the future of the nation? What role does intepretation play in these debates? Can we still see these debates in today’s society?
After reading these documents, please think about the Constitution and its impact on post-Revolutionary America. What role did the document play in shaping the relationship between the government and the people? How do debates over the national bank and the Alien and Sedition Acts continue the debate over the future of the nation? What role does intepretation play in these debates? Can we still see these debates in today’s society?
posted by Megan Boccardi at 9:35 PM
44 Comments:
The Constitution was extremely important for keeping the United States together. Since the states voluntarily accepted the Constitution and valuntarily joined the union, many states believed that they had the ability to non follow laws if they thought they were unconstitutional or took away from the states powers. Jefferson believed that the national bank was unconstitutional because the federal government wasn't given that power. Hamilton arged that it was essential for financial order. The alien and sedition acts started a debate about the states power. Jefferson said that it violated the states rights and was unconstitutional. The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions said that because of the 10th Amendment, the states also have power. This was also brought up when the southern states wanted to suceed from the union during the Civil War.
The Constitution establishes a federal democratic republic form of government. That is, we have an indivisible union of 50 sovereign States. It is a democracy because people govern themselves. It is representative because people choose elected officials by free and secret ballot. It is a republic because the Government derives its power from the people. By allowing the people to govern themselves & have a say in the government, I believe this made the people more fond of the government & it lead to a better relationship between the two. When people don't have say in the way they want to live, they start to rebel & it creates a society that doesn't get along & is chaotic. By having this power, everyone gets along better & the world is a better place to live in.
I would have to agree with Jefferson on the arugements he places against the National Bank. It seems to me that Hamilton is just trying to get money for the rich and that the bank is not really paying any debts off, and also I agree with Jefferson when he says that the bank has the power to lend and not to lend money to the public. I would have to say that the idea of National bank is a good idea if the reasons laying behind it were good, but I agree with Jefferson this national bank is unconsititutional. - Lori Page
The Constitution brought together an un-unified nation, and made it whole. It established the fundamental principles of the United States and the ways in which our nation works. Every state voluntarily accepted the Constitution, and by those means “the people” felt that if they did not agree with a certain part on the Constitution, then it was therefore unconstitutional. “The people,” in the beginning viewed it as a flexible piece of legislature, but as time progress many more amendments were added to make the document more concrete. Even today certain parts of the Constitution are still debated over, and what its true meaning was. The National Bank was, in Hamilton’s eyes, set up to create finical order in a newly beginning nation, but in Jefferson’s eyes the National Bank did not give enough power to the federal government, and Jefferson therefore deemed it unconstitutional. The alien and sedition acts were set up originally to protect the United States from enemy powers and stop seditious acts against the government. Jefferson deemed many of these acts unconstitutional, because it also did not give the federal government enough power to act in these situations. One of the alien and sedition acts, the Alien Enemies Act, is still in effect today. All of these acts and documents have influenced the United States, and has made it what it is today.
- Moira Evens
The US Constitution had a huge impact on post-Revolutionary America. It put in writing the rights of the states vs. the national government. Furthermore, it stated that any power that was not explicitly stated was given to the states. This kept any one portion of government from being too powerful, which is exactly what the writers wanted. However, not every single issue could be addressed while writing the Constitution. Also, it can be interpreted several different ways. This caused debates, and called for additions such as the Alien and Sedation Acts, as new problems arose. The Constitution still has a great impact on today's society. As Jefferson pointed out in his attack on the national bank, the way things were written can be interpreted in different ways. It is for this reason that we still debate over Constitutinal issues in today's society. It all depends on how the statement is written, and how deep one reads into it.
-Julie Marino
The United States constitution brought the government and the people closer together. Not only was Congress and the House of Representitves made up of people chosen from several states, the senate was also. The document also prohibited certain states powers; such as no states can impose duties on imports or exports without the concent of Congress. In the bank the government wasnt given the power. Jefferson did not think the bank was constitutional because it didnt pay debts or lay taxes.
The Constitution was extremely important in the shaping of our nation. It established for us ways to govern and ways for the country to run about. It allowed people to govern for themselves also along with have representatives appointed. Speaking about a national bank, Jefferson thought that it was unconstitutional and that it was not good for the people. Hamilton on the other hand seems to have wanted this for all the wrong reasons. The constitution is still a big thing in today's society and some things in it still cause controversy and debates.
I believe that the constitution's impact on post-revolutionary America was that it Set down the rules for which our nation would be run by. This seemed to bring the states and people together because now they felt that they had more freedom and actually could vote for who was going to govern them. Also the states could make their own constitutions with their own laws.
-Doug Smith
I beleive that they issues brought up in the Alien and Sedition Acts go do not exactly agree with the constitution and these arguments are still alive in America today. For example the Alien and Sedition acts gives the president the right to deport any alien who seems to be a potential threat to the United States. This goes against the constitution's idea of a trial by jury, and "innocent until proven guilty". Also it gives the president the right to apprehend an individual that is from a country that we are at war with. Debates like these can be seen today, about the issue of Muslim Extremeists, why do they always get stopped in the airport, also, does the government have the right to invade their privacy if they have no evidence against them. Debates like these are prevailent in America today, and can be seen in the Alien and Sedition Acts.
-Danny Wiele
The constitution influenced not only how the United States would be run, but also the character and moral codes of its citizens. Citizens were drawn to the newly proposed ideas of true liberty and freedom,and the ability for them to play an active role in government. Another interesting facet of the constitution is its ability to be amended, keeping it relevant and a clear reflection of American government at all times. The debate over the national bank was of great importance because it was in essence a debate over the privatization of key goods/services. This debate has not truly been resolved even to this day, with proponents of privatization as staunch as their adversaries.
-Matt Fox
The Constitution gave writes to those Americans. It basically set the guidelines of the ones who will rule over the country and not screw over the common man. It has been a big part and allowed the two groups, politicians and civilians, basically work for each other and allow to rule over each other. The Constitution plays a big part in the country still today. Although at the beginning it wasn't like that. The masses had thought of the document as a concrete rule over the people until amendments started. It made it more concrete to the people although the official meaning to the document is still being interpreted and argued over.
The National Bank was Hamilton's idea to make sure the US will have a financially secured like parents saving for college for their newborn child. Jefferson did not agree to that and deemed it unconstitutional.
It would seem that everything is unconstitutional to a certain view. We cannot go back in time and ask what is mean by this rule for we don't know what their intentions were. We can only speculate. The debates will continue so that everyone will eventually gets what they want and what they believe. That's what America is: a great big debate.
The United States constitution made the people and the government into a better relationship. Now we have Congress, House of Representatives, and the senate being made up of people chosen from several states. The Constitution also prohibited certain states rights. For example, no states can inflict duties on imports or exports without the approval of Congress, and the government wasn’t given the power over banks. The reason for this was that Jefferson didn’t think that the bank was in agreement with the constitution due to it not paying debts or lay taxes.
Post-Revolutionary America was heavily affected by the Constitution because the Constitution was a guidline on how to run the country. Its like a rule book for building and running a country. The writers of the Constitution couldnt possibly think of every little scenario that might come up so they wrote relatively broad rules to try and encompass all scenarios. However, that caused the Constitution to be interpreted differently by different people. As far as helping shape the relationship between the people and the government go, the Constitution played a major role. Before the Constitution the relationship between the people and the people wasnt good, there was always tension and hostility. After the Constitution, the relationship was better because now there were rules set in place so both sides knew that they were safe from manipulation and being taken advantage of for the most part. When one side felt that the other side was playing against the rules then the second side would refer back to the "rule book" and keep things in check. For example, Jefferson thought that the government was out of line when the federalists passed the Alien and Sedition Acts. He refered back to the Constitution stating that the acts were violations of the first and tenth amendments.
These debates are definitely still seen today. Even though the Alien and Sedition Acts arent completely constitutional, it is still used today especially now with the War on Terror.
The constitution when looking upon it summed up our government today in nearly all the ways except our political parties. It gave us our primary laws, rules to follow for voting for representatives and senators, presidential powers, powers of all elected, judicial system, states’ powers, citizens’ powers and even taxes. These powers are still shaping our country today as we shape new ones with amendments.
Jefferson was under the impression that if not laid out in the constitution, then the subject was not to be touched by the government. He felt the people never delegated power to the government to control such a large system of banking. On the other hand Hamilton believed the constitution implied these powers as the government looking out for what is best for the country and its’ people.
As far as the Alien and Sedition Act, I found them to be a little hearsay – they give the government great power (primarily the president) to act quickly upon his own beliefs. Yet at the same time it tells of relegating power of law to the states and local jurisdictions for court rulings. It seems there is a lot in the middle to be debated as we today are greatly struggling with this same issue of command.
Peter Wiegert
The Constitution united the colonial states, creating a solid republic nation. It insured that the U.S. would be under its own control and that it would have its own economy and military. In order to do this it took away a lot of the rights that were guaranteed to the people through the Declaration of Independence. If the people had still been allowed the rights that they used to create their own nation, than the United States that we live in today would most likely be much different. Until the creation of the Constitution, the people had complete control of the states. After it was written, it kept the power in the hands of the elite.
The U.S. Constitution was written in 1787 and is considered to be the supreme law of the United States. This document creates the government in which the people rule. The first three words, "We the people..." are considered to be the most quoted section of the Constitution. The Constitution, broken into Articles establishes the Legislative, Executive, Judicial Power, States' powers and limits, Process of Amendments, Federal Power, and Ratification. We can see the constitution working today because we have the same form of government now, in the 21st century as we did when the Constitution was created in 1787. Hamilton saw the National Bank as a way to create finical order in a newly beginning nation. However, Jefferson disagreed. He did not think that the National Bank gave enough power to the federal government and said that it was unconstitutional. The alien and sedition acts were set up originally to protect the United States from enemy powers and stop seditious acts against the government.The alien and sedition acts were set up originally to protect the United States from enemy powers and stop seditious acts against the government. Once again, Jefferson saw this as unconstitutional.
America, after the revolution, was a bit shaky, and the constitution laid a foundation for the new country, allowing for development and order. Because the constitution did not lay down rights for people, the bill of rights was added on, which distanced the people from total government control, giving freedoms and choices. The lack of government control in a person’s life created harmony between the people and the government.
The Alien and Sedition acts, as well as the National Bank, overstepped the bounds that the constitution provided to the people. Many felt that they took away the rights of citizens. Citizens felt that the government would be intervening in everyday life, and it did not sit well with them. The Virginia and Kentucky resolutions placed some of the power that the federal government was exercising, that people felt it shouldn’t have, and placed it into the hands of the smaller state governments, giving more rights to the people, as stated in Amendment 10 of the bill of rights.
Intepretation? Played a huge role in the debates. One person could look at the view on national banks one way and another person the complete opposite. These disagreements still occur to this very day. For example with the view on abortion, it all depends on what people consider to be a baby or not. With so many people divided because of the acts and national bank it is easy to see the coming of the Civil War when the country split into two which is pushed by the debate over the future of the nation. When Jefferson mentioned that a Congress would be instituted with power to do what ever is best for the country it was a good idea but now a days the President is able to override vetoes it has become more controversial and it is not fair for the citizens because they are not being represented.
-corey mueller
The Constitution was created after the Revolution, in order to give America’s citizens a few guidelines by which they should live. It allowed the citizens a say in the means of government. The Preamble makes it very clear that our government is for the people, according the statement “We the people of the United States…” The Constitution shaped the United States and its government into what it is today. However, the Constitution is not perfect, because there are many debates over certain sections, in which people may think is meaning is untrue.
The Alien Act was established to ensure the protection of the United States from “alien enemies” or emigrants. Today, many aliens are still living in America, even though the government has issued laws in order for citizens of other countries to either have a visa or declare citizenship. The emigrants that are living here without a visa are causing problems with citizens and the national government, because technically they don’t have to pay taxes, unlike everyone else. They are also taking over many minimum wage jobs, because they will work for less than minimum wage. This allows the nation’s unemployment rate to rise. Until the problem with aliens is resolved, there will be many more debates with the Alien Act in the future.
I completely agree with you katelyn on your opinion of the abuse of the alien acts, which is why we continue to see debates over the alien and sedition acts today. The constitution was indubitably written to show americans guidelines for living, and writes that they are entitled to as citizens of the united states of america. these rights are obviously restricted for citizens of this country, not aliens, as made evident by the alien act. It seems extremely unfair to me that aliens can come into this country, which completely contradicts the alien act formed by our government, and forego all the requirements to become an actual citizen, but reap the benefits citizens receive as provided by our constitution. It has nothing to do with disrespect for another country, or dislike of a certain race of people, or anything else. It has to do with clear and blatant violation of governmental policies that have been set up to protect the American people in the U.S. Either our government needs to change our policy regarding immigration and illegal emigrants, or government leaders need to be held responsible for turning a blind eye to this blatant violation of the alien act. Until this problem is solved, there will continue to be debates over this section of the constitution. Frankly, I believe that there will never be an end to debates over portions of the constitution, because there are too many interpretations to it. (strict, loose) People will always continue to abuse it, and only use it to their personal gain and advantage.
The constitution enforced a straight relationship between the people and the government after the revolutionary war. The constitution and alien & sedition acts served to distinguish the course of action the government would take in dealing with people in different circumstances. These documents are increasingly debated and reinterpreted in present day society depending on issues such as post 9/11 immigration reform or the patriot acts. The meanings of the documents continue to change as their interpretation is changed.
-Ryan donegan
The US constitution is one of the most important documents ever written. It helped the people and government become closer together, establishing a better relationship. This document was the set of beginning “rules” to how our country would be run and governed. Some of these rules started to prohibit states from placing certain laws without the consent of Congress. The constitution is one of the main reasons why our country is so advanced today. The constitution helped our country become ruled by ourselves with the people having the say so, and not as heavily influenced by other countries.
The Constitution gave the people of the United States hope that many things would change, and for once, they would have a voice in their government. According to all of the documents, there were a lot of positions to fill in the government and there needed to be clarity in doing so. The Constitution clearly outlines the different branches of government and their duties. It also outlines the rights of people and the few things that people cannot do such as commit treason against the government or try to overthrow the government without going through proper procedures.
I found the document written by Jefferson about the banks very interesting. The words that he chose were very carefully selected to make it seem like the establishment of banks was soley for the people and their benefits. The statement about the taxes, however, was even more interesting because this is how the government finds its way into the picture. All the words about men having somewhere to invest their money and take out loans is great, but taxes seemed to begin play a major role in that time and is definitely an issue that can be discussed still today.
The debates over the Sedition and Alien acts have heightened today because of the many immigrants that are in the United States. There is no longer just “Americans” any more, but rather every ethnicity with the name, “America” tacked on to the end. I agree with the sedition acts because they definitely apply to scenarios such as “September 11” and I always think that any act of treason should be seriously taken and that the government should have no mercy. Interpretation plays a major role in these documents because they are easily read to a more educated person. The average person, however, may struggle with trying to understand what everything means, or one word could change the complete interpretation of the entire document. I think we should still have these debates today because they are pertinent to our “mixed” society.
-Cherice Jones
The Constitution played a gigantic role in shaping the relationship between the government and the people. The writers of the Constitution wrote the document in a way that left many issues up in the air and thus everybody tried to interpret it in their own way. Some people became angered with the government because they thought that they were given certian rights and yet the government went on to in fact say that they did not have those rights. Confusion of what exactly the people had, led to anger and unhappiness with the government. Due to the Constitution not saying what each and every detail of society should be, arguements arose about interpretation such as Hamilton and Jefferson argueing about a national bank. Interpretation is a problem with the Constitution even today with issues such as abortion.
The Constitution set out written rules that the people and government agreed to abide by. This document did control the post-Revolutionary Americans by finally setting up some rules and regulations for the new country to form under, but it also gave freedom to the American people in that it set straight how the nation would be run and didn't leave too many questions, at least for the time being, on what they were and weren't allowed to do, which gave them more freedom to do things they wished to if they weren't suppressed by any of the new legislations. This one document started the nation off as a very fair country, where the people were not simply controlled by the government, but instead knew what the regulations were, how the country would run, and what their rights were as American citizens.
The United States Constitution was a key factor in the development of the relationship between the government and the American citizens. Much of the relationship between the government and the citizens of the United States was based off of trust. This relationship steadily decreased due to the fact that many arguments arose with the constitution. It was written very loosley in an attempt to allow for loose interpretation and it worked for the most part in shaping and forming the foundation for a government. It's ideas and original beliefs are still used today in fact. However, due to this loose construction, people found ways "around" the constitution which created holes in the wall of trust that was being built between the United States citizens and the newly formed American Government. Many of the issues that arose early on in american history are still issues today. The problem with the Alien and Sedition Acts was based off of simple beliefs and the different views of people. There are specific problems that can be fixed with time, and there are some that can't because the basis is timeless.
Overall, the constitution was very important in establishing a relationship between America and the government. Although there were problems, the main points were key in creating a steady foundation for the country's government to be built on for years to come, thus creating the successful system we have today.
I think the Constitution was the building block that helped the colonies avoid falling into what they had just fought to escape, a monarchy. Orginally the Costitution was shaking because the people felt it was taking away from the freedoms they earned after the American Revolution. After they realized that the government, along with themsleves, was being regulated, they were more keen of the idea and started to believe it was a decent way to keep order and avoid on person or groups of persons from gaining too much power. Problems arose when people interpreted the Constitution to mean one thing or another. The Constitution, like any document, could not possibly include every problem, conflict, or debate that might oocur and therefore left for speculation on certain sistuations not written about specifically in the Constitution. These debates are still seem today with such topics as abortion and gay marriages. And while amendments and adjustments to the Constitution have helped us to create more concrete ideas and values, there will always be those people with a different persepctive who demand that something is unconstitutional if it does not agree with their understanding of what the document means.
The Constitution was a very big significance that joined the people of America and the government. The Constitution was a set of rules that the government and the people agreed upon, even though it took so long to perfect it. These set of rules were a summary of how the country would be ran. The rulles told the people what they could and could not do, and gave the people certain rights that were more equal. The Constitution also gave the people more freedom, and was a huge impact on the post-Revolutionary America and jump started the start of a new country.
-Joey Huynh-
The Constitution served as a document that established the peoples rights as well as their position with the national government. Despite having elected officials, the people were still the primary source of the governments power. The battle between Hamilton and Jefferson is just one of many times in history that the national bank is debated over. This changed the face of american economics back then up through today. The Alien and Sedition acts were brought about by the Federalists to keep people from "seditious" acts of weakening the government. In both cases Jefferson found these things to be unconstitutional. If he had not, the face of America could have been drastically changed.
~griffin foley
The Constitution saved our country. After the revolution, many things were unsettled. The constituion helped the government settle things down and helped them make a connection with the people. After the constitution and the bill of rights, the people had a lot more faith in the government in general and the way they were functioning. In regards to the Alien and Sedition Acts, they are still definitly a problem that is talked about today. With a lot of immigration in this country, there are arguments about whether or not the alien acts should be in place. Overall though, these documents have definitly shaped the U.S. into what it is today. They both have a large influence on how we run our country and how people live their daily lives.
The Constitution is a very important document in the U.S. The Constitution lays down laws and rules that make our country what it is today. The constitution gave people faith in the sense that they had a say in what went on. Jefferson found both the "national bank" and "Alien and Sedition acts" were unconstitutional. Without the constitution, America wouldn't be what it is today.
I completely agree with Doug about post revolutionary America. I think the constitution definitely brought the states and people together because they felt like they could impact government for the first time. However, the people did not and do not get to directly vote in the national government. “We the people” have the most power in the state government.
The us consitution played a huge role in the relationship between the people and the government. It helped structure the government for one, with rules and law for the people along with keeping the people involved and giving them their rights along with consequences. It helped to lay out the different kinds of positions in government along with requirements in order to become that specific position. the consitution gave the people hope for a better government and change from what they previously had before the revolution and without it America wouldn't be the country it is today. Jeffersons opinion showed how he felt laws and taxed should only be necessary for the people and the general welfare and not just convienent for the higher powers. Jeffersons opinions were more for the people, i felt and reminded me of todays society and how we still today get loans, taxed and laws put on us, not just for the pleasure of the higher powers but for the purpose of providing a general welfare to all. --Emily Wagner
The U.S. Constitution put forth the laws for the American people. Jefferson believed that the government should be small and stay out of the lives of the American people and have a strict view. Hamilton had a loose interpretation of the document and wanted the government to do more for the people. I agree with Jefferson's view especially in todays society. I think the government looked at the Constitution too loosly wneh they passed the Patriot Act of 2001. This gives the government the right to tap phones and invade your personal life. These are things that the government should not be able to do and it go against ours rights set forth in the Constitution. Kyle Whitehead
The conrtitution was very important in post revolutionary america. The constitution set new guidelines for how our nation would be run. The problem with the consrtitution was how it was interpreted. Two very important figures, Hamilton and Jefferson were examples of how differently a document could be interpreted. Jefferson had a very conservative veiw on the constitution while Hamilton had a more loose interpretation of the constitution. Debates over laws and rights are still very common in society today and the interpretation of the constitution is continuously changing to fit the needs of our nation.
In post-Revolutionary America, colonists had the idea that they had gianed new natural poweres rooted in the ideas of autonomy and common sovereignty. After years of fighting the Revolution, citizens were used to one thing: if the government gives you problems, revolt. The ratificaton of the Constitution came at a critical time when people were looking for a better form of government but were also afraid of one that waw too oppressive and powerful. People accepted the Constitution and lived by it, as lomg as it did not interfere with their recently gained natural rights. The debates over the constitutionality of a national bank and the opposition to the Alien and Sedition Acts are tangible proof of this. The citizens took the Constituiton to heart in the matter of rights reserved to the states not granted to congress. If congress was indeed serious about the national bank and the Alien and Sedition Acts, then in the eyes of the colonists, they were violating the constitution by taking away rights of the states. Acts of congress like this would lead citizens to believe that this might be just a precursor for future injustices. Even today, the government has been known to push its limits and stretch the rights of the legislature. Controversies over civil rights and civil liberties, abortion, gay marriage, war policies, and other things show that even today Americans have to worry about reserving their own rights. Today, though citizens are more likey to let problems resolvve themselves because part of our culture is an unwavering faith in government.
The Constitution was a document that joined the states together as a union. The Constitution also fulfilled the philosophical thinking of Thomas Paine who thought that the country should be based on constitutions not monarchy. The Constitution raised debates on how the laws should be interpreted and thus led to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court set precedences for how these should be understood but still years later, the laws were still being deciphered for the first time. The Constitution was not good enough however as many amendments have been added and even some taken away to show that the debates will continue well into the future.
The constitution did provide a single unifying document which esentially is a set of laws translated to govern the legality of laws. It was definately important in the fact that it was unifying, but translating it has proved difficult. The idea of a US bank is simply one example, and in this case, Jefferson and Hamilton held the opposing views. It seems that the idea of a unifying government bank is still debated today, some think it is not only unconstitutional, but an ineffective system.
The Constitution's post-Revolutionary role in America was and still is very important. It brought together the government and the people. The people felt that there were rules that they could abide by and they also felt they had freedom to govern themselves along with representatives they chose. On the national bank, Jefferson thought that it was unconstitutional because it didn't give enought power to the federal government. Hamilton thought it was a good way to get financial things going for a new country. Today people view rights and laws differently. With people able to voice their own opinion I don't think there will ever be an agreement because people think differently. Debates over these issues will always be changing to try to make everyone happy. - Brandon Wiest
The U.S Constitution is easily the most important document in U.S. history. It helped get the United States away from the unstable government under the Articles of Confederation to a stable one that is still seen today. The main purpose of the Constitution was to create a national representative government and have it contain a bicameral legislature. This basically meant to give it a Senate and House of Representatives. Each state would have two Senators and the amount of Representatives would depend on the state’s population. This pleased almost everyone. Small states got equal representation in the Senate, while large states had a bigger majority in the House of Representatives because of their population. Also what emerged from the creation of the Constitution was a strong central leader of the country which would be known as the President. The President would be independently elected and would also have veto power. At first this was criticized because it gave powers to the President not even the King of England had, but the government’s system of checks and balances maintained a fair system.
As America tried to establish itself as a new and separate country based on revolutionary ideas, a few elite founding fathers realized that the country would need a frame of reference to prevent utter chaos amongst the people. The original government under the Articles of Confederation failed, in part because they were weak, but also because the government went bankrupt; the citizens’ fresh and revolutionary minds didn’t want to pay the government its taxes. After all, no taxation was one of the reasons why the colonies made the split from Britain in the first place. After this happened, a group of founding fathers known as the Federalists, who were more in favor of a strong central government than they were concerned about individual rights and freedoms, knew that action had to be taken. They called the Constitutional Convention, and misled most of the delegates, saying that they were gathering to amend the Articles. What they ended with, however, was a new outline of rules for the young country.
In the Preamble of the Constitution, the Federalists made some promises to the citizens. To put it simply, they recognized that the country as a whole had just fought a brutal war against Great Britain to secure certain liberties and freedoms for the people, but the Federalists knew that they had to instate some rules to keep order and prevent anarchy.
In fact, throughout the Constitution, there are subtle hints that the Federalists were trying to maintain a difference between their new government and England’s. For example, there was a reason that they included the article that talks about the representative Congress before the article about the president, the central figure of the government. The Convention first wanted the citizens to read about their contributions to the government before they lost interest in the explanation of the president’s duties. While he by no means had absolute power over the people, he was the head of the government, a role which could very easily be mistaken for the role of a king. In addition, by writing what they did in Article I Section 10 Number 3 of the Constitution, the founding fathers tried to prevent their revolutionary citizens from doing what they did to Great Britain because they were unhappy with the government. They made it illegal without the consent of Congress to “lay any duty of tonnage, keep troops, or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another state, or engage in a war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay.”
The Bill of Rights was written to make up for the fact that the Constitution was written in a hurry. It was a compromise between the government and the people to reassure the colonists that they still retained many rights that the British would have never granted. In fact, in Amendment IX, the Rule of construction of the Constitution, they flat out said that “[certain rights] shall not be construed to deny or disparage others.”
As the Constitution was shaping the relationship between the government and the people, many debates were brought up that questioned the future direction of the nation. The National Bank issue arose because the founding fathers wanted to get the citizens to pay taxes so that this new government wouldn’t fail as the Articles had done. It was a tactic used to help centralize the government before the Virginia Resolution came about, which clearly spelled out the states’ limited rights and said that they are but parties of the National government. The controversy over the National Bank was also used as an opportunity to give logical reasons as to why taxes should be paid. It goes back to the stirring words of the Preamble when it says, “taxes are but only to pay the debts or provide for the welfare of the Union.” In addition, there was the Alien Act, which said that foreigners could be imprisoned if the United States was at war with their home country. This was to prevent treason and ensure public safety, but it defeats the purpose of a ‘free land’. The Sedition Act, which was a major check on the freedom of speech, was instituted to prevent revolutionaries from overthrowing the government, but it took this a little far. Once they realized the controversy over the laws they passed, Congress passed the Kentucky resolution, which denounced the Alien and Sedition Acts as “obnoxious” and “unnecessary” laws that were “palpable violations of the said Constitution.” The interpretation of the future that the Federalists gathered from all of this was that they had to come up with a way to continue centralizing the government to prevent revolution, and yet had to stick with the freedoms that were promised or it wouldn’t matter how strong the central government was because the colonists, fresh from the revolution, would revolt anyhow.
In today’s society, governmental debates similar to the second guessing in these debates do exist. A fairly recent example was when Congress, second guessing the President’s War in Iraq, wanted to cut funding to it. They ended up not doing that, however, because of the weaknesses a divided central government would portray, and because they didn’t want to upset the small faction of citizens who do support the President’s war.
The Constitution played a very signifacant role. It helped to set rules and regualtions for our government so that it would not become a monarchy. But there were debates over rules set by the constitution. Thus causing the creation of the Supreme Court so that the rules could be understood and interpreted as time changes. Yes we can still see debates over these rules today. This is because as time goes on new rules need to be set and old ones might have to be erased.
The constitution is one of the most important documents in American History. The constitution shaped the relationship between the government and the people in a positive way. The government and its citizens used to be viewed in a master servant way, but the constitution gave citizens more rights, and more say in controling the government. Debates over the national bank and the Alien and Sedition Acts continue the debate over the future of the nation, Hamelton and Jeffersons arguments show a fundamental difference between Federalist and Republican thinking. These influential leaders opposing views on law making and interpretation of the the constitution led to the arguments. In every society, especially American society today, debates over governmental views are constant.
-Emily Sullivan
The Constitution had a huge impact on the post revolutionary America. People believed this document would keep this newly founded country together and help Americans keep their rights. This document also helped in shaping a relationship between citizens and the American government by allowing the people to feel comfortable calling out what was wrong about the government. The constitution aloud states to make their own laws about things that were not in the document, this also made the American people feel they had an immense impact on how the government was run. The Alien and Sedition Act totally contradict the Constitution. It allows the president to deport aliens that he thinks are a threat. This makes the American people wonder who is really running the country and if they have a say in things.
-Matthew Vlach
Post a Comment
<< Home