The Constitution is the document that is the basis of our modern government. The Constitution was ratified in 1787, and was written by a community of founding fathers. The document was written primarily to correct the faults of the Articles of Confederation. However, the Constitution has faced scrutiny in recent days with people doubting the legitimacy of amendments that are more than 200 years old. Whether or not the claims of illegitimacy are true, the Constitution is still the document in which we determine laws, and effectively run our nation.
The Constitution had many authors who were all essential founding fathers. Examples of these are James Madison, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Alexander Hamilton. James Madison is often referred to as the “Father of the Constitution.” His …show more content…
The Constitution was amended and formed through vast amounts of compromise. The largest and most debated controversy across history was the issue of slavery. Delegates from the South claimed that slavery was essential to the economy of the region, while Northern delegates wanted to make the slave trade illegal. Slavery is seen in the aforementioned Three-Fifths Compromise that gave political representation based on population of the slave states by counting slaves as three-fifths of a person. Another example of slave related controversy seen in the Constitution is the Fugitive Clause. The Fugitive Clause stated that the governments of Northern “free states” were required to capture slaves who had escaped the South hoping for freedom, and return them back to the South. The issue of slavery is also seen through the Constitution in the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. The 13th amendment abolished slavery, the 14th gave all Constitutional rights and citizenship to former slaves, and the 15th amendment gave black males the right to
The Constitution had many authors who were all essential founding fathers. Examples of these are James Madison, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Alexander Hamilton. James Madison is often referred to as the “Father of the Constitution.” His …show more content…
The Constitution was amended and formed through vast amounts of compromise. The largest and most debated controversy across history was the issue of slavery. Delegates from the South claimed that slavery was essential to the economy of the region, while Northern delegates wanted to make the slave trade illegal. Slavery is seen in the aforementioned Three-Fifths Compromise that gave political representation based on population of the slave states by counting slaves as three-fifths of a person. Another example of slave related controversy seen in the Constitution is the Fugitive Clause. The Fugitive Clause stated that the governments of Northern “free states” were required to capture slaves who had escaped the South hoping for freedom, and return them back to the South. The issue of slavery is also seen through the Constitution in the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. The 13th amendment abolished slavery, the 14th gave all Constitutional rights and citizenship to former slaves, and the 15th amendment gave black males the right to