20.10.26 Introduction to US constitution

war for independence was fought for taxes. Taxes were too high on british colonies (including) america. as a result americans fought for independence as they felt dispite the high taxes they felt that they were being underrepresented in parliment.

4th july 1776 - Declaration of independence

article of confediration - americas first try at a constitution

shays rellebllion - An armed uprising of indebted farmers in Massachusetts. The weak central government couldn't send military aid. This caused the shift from the articles of confederation to the us constiutnion


Key features of the original US constitution

  • Emphised represntative governemnt not democracy - the orginial constitution contained no lofty aspirations to one man or one vote. Nor there was any requrement for a secret ballot.

  • Emphasised the importance of checks and balances to prevent any one branch of governemnt from gaining too much power.

  • Codified - one set of documents

  • Established a federal governemnt concentrating power in different places

  • Entrenched - Very difficult to amend

  • Constitutional soveignty

  • focus on loyalty and freedom

  • radical

  • equality state in law of all white men

  • compremised the power of different sized states in terms of voting population. Every state has equal power in law

    • when states interact with central governemnt some states are more important than others in effect but not according to law

  • Comprise of state and federal powers.

  • Included implied and enumerated powers

    • Implied - not specifically stated in the constitution but are instead interpreted and enforced. An example of this could be the presidents power to declare war.

    • Enumerated - powers that are directly and explicitly mentioned in the consitution leaving little to no room for interpretation. For example "congress have the power to make laws"

features ranking

1 - focus of freedom

2 - radical change

3 - established federal government

4 - Entrenched

Acted as a direct opposition to tyrinnaical governemnts at the time eg the king and britian


Of its time

  • representataive governement not elections

  • endorised slavery sexism expansionism and racial superiority.

Articles of the consitution

  • article 1 - First congress

  • article 2 - president

  • article 3 - judiciary

In order of power.

Congress more represntative of the people than just one presedent thus giving them more power.

27 amendments - extra infomation

  • First Amendment (1791) - Guarantees freedom of religion, speech, the press, peaceful assembly, and the right to petition the government.

  • Second Amendment (1791) - Protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

  • Third Amendment (1791) - Prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes without the owner's consent during peacetime.

  • Fourth Amendment (1791) - Protects against unreasonable searches and seizures and requires warrants based on probable cause.

  • Fifth Amendment (1791) - Outlines rights in criminal cases, including protection against double jeopardy and self-incrimination, the right to due process, and just compensation for private property taken for public use.

  • Sixth Amendment (1791) - Guarantees the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the right to legal counsel.

  • Seventh Amendment (1791) - Preserves the right to a jury trial in federal civil lawsuits.

  • Eighth Amendment (1791) - Prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishments.

  • Ninth Amendment (1791) - States that the listing of specific rights in the Constitution does not deny or disparage other unenumerated rights retained by the people.

  • Tenth Amendment (1791) - Confirms that powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved to the states or to the people.

  • Eleventh Amendment (1795) - Establishes state sovereign immunity against lawsuits brought by citizens of another state or foreign country.

  • Twelfth Amendment (1804) - Modifies Electoral College procedures, requiring electors to cast distinct ballots for president and vice president.

  • Thirteenth Amendment (1865) - Abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime.

  • Fourteenth Amendment (1868) - Grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, guarantees due process, and ensures equal protection under the laws.

  • Fifteenth Amendment (1870) - Prohibits denying a citizen the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

  • Sixteenth Amendment (1913) - Authorizes Congress to levy and collect an income tax without apportioning it among the states.

  • Seventeenth Amendment (1913) - Establishes the direct election of U.S. senators by popular vote.

  • Eighteenth Amendment (1919) - Prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors (later repealed).

  • Nineteenth Amendment (1920) - Prohibits denying citizens the right to vote on account of sex, granting women suffrage.

  • Twentieth Amendment (1933) - Sets the beginning of presidential and vice-presidential terms to January 20 and congressional terms to January 3.

  • Twenty-First Amendment (1933) - Repeals the Eighteenth Amendment, ending Prohibition.

  • Twenty-Second Amendment (1951) - Limits the president to two terms in office.

  • Twenty-Third Amendment (1961) - Grants presidential electors to the District of Columbia.

  • Twenty-Fourth Amendment (1964) - Prohibits the use of poll taxes in federal elections.

  • Twenty-Fifth Amendment (1967) - Details procedures for presidential succession, vice-presidential vacancies, and addressing presidential disability.

  • Twenty-Sixth Amendment (1971) - Lowers the voting age to 18 years nationwide.

  • Twenty-Seventh Amendment (1992) - Prohibits any law altering congressional pay from taking effect until an election of representatives has taken place.


When looking at the consitution we can see that at its core it has remained mostly unchanged when comparing it to the rest of the USA