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.