Mac McDonald

1st hour
2/29/16
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 and our Posterity, do ordain and
establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Many people can recite the first few
words of the American constitution. Five years after the American Revolution ended with the
signing of the Treaty of Paris, 55 men went to Philadelphia to participate in a Constitutional
Convention. Previously the nation had a set of rules called the Articles of Confederation. Those
rules did not work for the new country because there was no excutive or court system. In the
summer of 1787 the 55 men began to craft the American constitution. They argued and
compromised for hours until they had created a near perfect document protecting the rights of the
people while keeping a strong and fair central government guarding against tyranny. The
American constitution protected the people from tyranny by setting up the ideas of federalism,
separation of powers, checks and balances, and fair representation of states.
James Madison had the idea of a federalist government.In the compound republic of
America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments,
and the portion allotted to each subdivided among two distinct governments, and the portion
allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments...The different governments
will each control each other, at the same time that each will be controlled by itself (Document
A). The United States has two governments. There is the Central Government and State
Governments. Central governments deal with other countries whereas state government deals
with the American people. Massachusetts is unable to declare war on Russia but, the US
government can. The US government cannot establish schools but Alabamas state government
can. Both Central and State governments can tax, set up courts, enforce laws. The idea of
federalism creates a double security so the state and central government can control each other
while each independently controls its self guarding against tyranny.
Back in England the government was made of two governing bodies. The king and
parliament. The government was so corrupt that the people had no say in parliament. So to have
a fair government, three branches of government were created. 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 Liberty requires that the three great departments of power should be separate and
distinct (Document B). With the idea of three separate but equal branches of government, the
executive branch cannot do the judicial or legislative branches job. Each branch of government
has there own job. The constitution guards against tyranny by making sure that executive branch
did not get too much power.

Each branch of government has there own responsibilities while keeping the other
branches accountable. ...the constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a
manner as that they may be a check on the other(The three branches) should not be so far
separated as to have no constitutional control over each other (Document C). The executive
branch is able to nominate judges for the judicial branch and veto Congressional legislation for
the legislative branch as checks. The other two branches can impeach the President from office
and declare a presidential act as unconstitutional as balances. The constitution guards against
tyranny by dividing and arranging power.
When the Articles of Confederation were put in effect, the colonies were not equally
represented. For the House of Representatives, The number of representatives shall not exceed
one for every thirty thousand, but each state shall have at least one representative; and until (a
census is taken within every three years) the state of New Hampshire shall be entitled to three,
Massachusetts eight, Rhode Island...one, Connecticut five, New York six...Virginia ten
(Document D). And for the Senate The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two
senators from each state, chosen by the legislatures thereof for six years; and each senator shall
have one vote (Document D). Even though smaller states had less representation in the House
of Representatives, in the Senate everyone is equal. The number of votes in the House of
Representatives is based on population whereas the Senate is by law. The US constitution guards
against tyranny by compromising number of votes by equal and fair representation of states.
Even though the constitution said how the government was run, many people believe it
did not protect citzens rights. The authors of the constitution created the Bill of Rights that go
along with the constitution. It was ten ammendments to ensure the rights of the people. When
there was something new that was tyrrany to the people an new ammendment is created. This
helps to guard against tyranny. The American constitution protected the people from tyranny by
setting up the ideas of federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, and fair
representation of states.