america
The Constitution of the United States of America is a set of laws and rights directed toward the people of this great country. With the Constitution however came skeptics from the people, the same people who were supposed to have helped in creating this document. Eleven years prior to the writing of the Constitution came the signing of a Declaration of Independence. This was the first of the two great American documents. The Declaration however was not surrounded with skeptics; in fact it was surrounded with support and excitement. Why the two different attitudes from the American people regarding these two magnificent pieces of U.S history? Though both these works, the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the writing of the Constitution, are today regarded as the two greatest American documents, there are still some philosophical differences that in effect created how the American public saw these two events.
The signing of the Declaration of Independence was accomplished in 1776. It was the document that freed the colonies from British rule. The Americans had fought for, and won their independence. It was a time in history that will forever be marked; the Americans were a new people. The Declaration was a calling to the people, excitement was abundant and aimed at uniting the country. No longer was there loyalty to the crown, or fear of it. The Declaration was proof for all Americans that they were no longer under the rule of Great Britain. The Declaration got people to embrace the new world, and look forward to their future. Together they had won their independence, and the morale of country was high. The Declaration was more of a celebration to their triumph then setting of ground rules. This becoming as one, however would lead the way for the forming of a new government, that turns out is still in effect today. The framers of the declaration seem to have taken into consideration possible morale aspects of law. With passages that read, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness-“. This saying alone suggests that people are free to chose as they wish, as long as they don’t interfere with other citizens.
The Declaration was the first great document, with it brings pride, patriotism, and fond memories of fighting for freedom. Though the Constitution was not written until 1788, eleven years after the signing of the Declaration, it was necessary. A direct result of being independent, and forming a union, would require some form of government, beyond the morale thoughts put into the Declaration of Independence. So in the fall of 1788 some of the same men plus others came together in Philadelphia to discuss a national government. Their efforts eventually became the Constitution of the United States of America. However the Constitution brought with it a bit of skepticism from the general public. The Declaration brought with it freedom and separation from a mother country, while the Constitution brought with it laws, and consequence. The people saw these laws as a limitation on their freedom. They rarely would choose to see it as protection of their freedoms. This was something that resembled something that they had just fought to separate themselves from, a controlling government. Fear of an overbearing government might have grown out of control, had it not been for the document written eleven years earlier known as the Declaration of Independence, which still gives some people goose bumps to read.
These two documents work hand in hand with one another. The opening sentences of the Declaration to this day can still inspire and evokes memories of pride and patriotism. While the Constitution, with the potential of change and the amendments that guarantee our rights has evolved into something of a classic document. In the Declaration it says that we need a government that “is derived from our consent”. The government that they were suggesting eleven years ago turned out to be called the Constitution of the United States of America. One of the main differences between the two documents is the open-ended ness of the Constitution. While the Declaration is what it is, the Constitution can be revised and changed, due to what the majority of the people want. The fear that a national government might abuse its power may have been what led to the skeptics in the early part of establishing the government.
When a group of people challenged the government’s power to tax, a large army was assembled to put out the up risers. This came to be known as the Whisky Rebellion. The quick response Hamilton and Washington and the number of men drawn in a short amount of time showed that our new government meant business. And that it was series about being listened to.
Yet another big philosophical difference is the men who brought up these masterful documents. From James Madison to John Adams, George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, they were all men looking toward the future. During the time of the declaration of independence, there were many things written in regards to the need for a government. At the time, the feelings around the colonies were that of high spirits and hope. They were happy about their independence and gave little thought about what was to come next. There was not that feeling in regards to the Constitution. There were men who would not sign the Constitution some eleven years later, simply because they were not in 100 percent full compliance with the document. This fact along caused a stir, among curious members of the public, who would want to know what was wrong and why wouldn’t their delegate sign it. One of the reasons some men would not sign the document was that it lacked a Bill of Rights. The Declaration was a gaining of freedom from another country, while just like the Declaration the Constitution was a freedom from their government.
These two documents are the first great documents in American history. They compliment each other very well. I heard it said that the declaration is the body, while the constitution is the soul. The fact they are both still loved today and that the Constitution can be altered based on the people’s wishes is an amazing accomplishment. The men whose minds created these precious documents will forever be remembered. They did something two hundred years ago that would most likely never of happened in this day in age.
