How Did the Constitution Gaurd Against Tyranny?
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How did the Constitution Guard against Tyranny?
Nolen Michael
Ms. McKee
U.S. History
Nov.27, 2012
Abstract
In the summer of 1787, fifty-five delegates representing twelve of the thirteen states met in Philadelphia to fix the national government. The problem was that the existing government, under the Articles of Confederation, just wasnt doing the job. It was too weak. The challenge was to create a strong central government without letting any one person, or group of people, get too much power.
How did the Constitution Guard against Tyranny?
“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may be justly pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” (James Madison, May. 1787). The Articles of Confederation wasnt working for the fifty-five individuals at the Constitutional Convention on May of 1787 in Philadelphia. Under the articles, there was no chief executive, court system, or a way to force the states to pay taxes. For Madison and his delegates, they were challenged by having to write a Constitution that was strong enough to hold the people and states together without letting one person or group, branch, or level of government gain to much control. How did the constitution guard against tyranny? The constitution guarded against tyranny by providing federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, and big states vs. small states.
The first guard against tyranny was federalism which means a compound government made up of a central or state government. Powers given to the central government were to regulate trade, conduct foreign relations, provide an army and navy, declare war, print and coin money, set up post offices, and to make immigration laws. Powers given to the states were to set up local governments, hold elections, establish schools, pass marriages and divorce laws, and regulate in-state businesses. They shared the power to tax, borrow money, set up courts, make laws, and enforce laws. (Doc. A.) This protects against tyranny because it keeps the federal government and state government from having too much power.
A second guard against tyranny was the separation of powers which means each branch of government should be separate and distinct. All legislative powers shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall have both a Senate, and a House of Representatives. The executive powers shall be vested