Summary:
In order to have a government that does not have uneven power, the constitutional powers were separated into three groups: The legislative branch, executive branch, and the judicial branch. The legislative branch function is to enact laws.
How do you create a new government? That question was being asked by the congress. They did not want a too strong government, because that was what they were running away from. So the congress made the Articles of Confederation, written in November 1777. But it did not work because it gave states to much power and a weak union between strong states. And because of too much power to the states, the articles did not work. So the congress went to work again and formed the constitution. The framers, who were the people who made up and signed the constitution (which means a framework for a government). The constitution is basically our government rules written on paper. It was a drastic change from the Articles, but was accepted quickly because people wanted to have an effective central government.
The constitution begins with the preamble "We the people of the United States..." which basically mean that us or we, the people, are in charge. Unlike the articles, which states "We the states," instead. So more power is given to the people, who get to elect everybody in the government. The change is meant to show that the people will create a more perfect union.
Preamble: 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.
In order to have a government that does not have uneven power, the constitutional powers was separated into three groups: The legislative branch, executive branch, and the judicial branch. The legislative branch function is to enact laws. The powers of this branch was to create laws and impose taxes. The executive branch see that the laws are carried out. They can appoint judges, ambassadors, and other government officials. They also prevent laws from going in effect and also is the commander in chief. The judicial branch function is to interpret laws. The powers of it is to declare a law invalid, review decisions made by state and federal court. The branches are given separate and equal power so one branch will not have more power than another.
Even after deciding which powers would be given to which branch, there was still a problem. Who should control the branches? Governor Edmund Randolph of Virginia fixed this problem and created the Virginia plan. William Patterson also made a New Jersey plan, but the delegates picked the Virginia plan with little debate. It gave the executive branch to be headed by the president of United States, the legislative branch was handled by the senate and house of representatives, and the judicial branch vested into the supreme court.
The constitution also tells us rules that we have to use. It gives people like the president things, but restrictions that he can not cross. Without the it, our lives will not be the same. We still use the same constitutional document that was written 220 years ago. In fact, the constitution is the longest form of written government used. So in conclusion, the amazing thing about the constitution is that it is everyone abides by it after so many years.
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