The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the country. The document was originally composed of seven articles, and the first three discuss the separation of powers whereby the federal government is divided into three branches. It was signed on September 17, 1787, by delegates of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Under the preceding the Articles of Confederation, the national government was weak and states operated independently. At the 1787 convention, delegates devised a plan for a stronger federal government. Ten additional amendments called the Bill of Rights provided individual protections such as freedom of speech and of religion. While the Constitution positively impacted American society, it did have some
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Constitution was written by human beings and therefore, it is not perfect. Many portions of the document are open to interpretation by humans, and it is also open to interpretation by the federal government which reduces its effectiveness. The document is very ambiguous and delegates of the time did not account for present-day conditions. Additionally, a disadvantage of the Constitution is checks and balances because it complicates the policy-making process. The system makes policy-making more time consuming and can result in a stalemate among the three branches. The division of power entails the cooperation between the differing branches and therefore, the legislative process is slowed down. Another disadvantage of the Constitution is the electoral college because it discourages voter motivation. Voters may feel that their opinion is meaningless unless they are in a big “swing state.” The electoral college is also not a direct democracy as representatives are elected to cast votes. Evidence shows that the popular vote and electoral vote can vary greatly as well. For example, in 1980, Ronald Reagan won 50.7% of the popular vote and 90.9% of the electoral college vote. Ultimately, the Constitution does contain some disadvantages as no document is
Constitution was written by human beings and therefore, it is not perfect. Many portions of the document are open to interpretation by humans, and it is also open to interpretation by the federal government which reduces its effectiveness. The document is very ambiguous and delegates of the time did not account for present-day conditions. Additionally, a disadvantage of the Constitution is checks and balances because it complicates the policy-making process. The system makes policy-making more time consuming and can result in a stalemate among the three branches. The division of power entails the cooperation between the differing branches and therefore, the legislative process is slowed down. Another disadvantage of the Constitution is the electoral college because it discourages voter motivation. Voters may feel that their opinion is meaningless unless they are in a big “swing state.” The electoral college is also not a direct democracy as representatives are elected to cast votes. Evidence shows that the popular vote and electoral vote can vary greatly as well. For example, in 1980, Ronald Reagan won 50.7% of the popular vote and 90.9% of the electoral college vote. Ultimately, the Constitution does contain some disadvantages as no document is