“Why study the constitution?

”
Excellent question. Why should we
study the United States Constitution?
It’s just some old, boring piece of paper,
right? WRONG!

The Constitution is much more than a

simple piece of writing. It is the
cornerstone of our everyday life as
American citizens. How so? I’m glad
you asked.

Following the failure of the Articles of

Confederation, the founding fathers
were looking for a new, better, upgraded
form of government.
One man was up for the task of drafting
a new plan for the nation. Therefore, in
1787, James Madison drafted the
Constitution. While the draft was well
done, there was a problem.

The representatives of the different

states wouldn’t approve Madison’s
Constitution unless a Bill of Rights was
added to protect their interests.

The Bill of Rights is made up of the first

ten amendments to the Constitution and
contains many of the rights US citizens
exercise every day, such as:

The right to free speech.

Freedom of religion.
Freedom of the press.

The right to bear arms.

The right to a fair trial.

And more.
With the Bill of Rights in place, the
representatives felt confident to approve
Madison’s draft as the US Constitution.
Upon its ratification later that year, that
one document became the foundation
for the American government as we
know it today.

Madison devised three branches of

government: executive, legislative, and
judicial. In practice, these branches are
represented

by the office of the President

Congress
and the Supreme Court, respectively.

No one of these branches is in control of

any of the others. A series of checks and
balances gives them all input into the
governance of the nation.

The Constitution affects each of us

every day. The TV shows you watch are
only able to be aired thanks to free
speech and press. You likely have
friends of multiple religions and cultural
backgrounds.
Did your parents vote in the most recent
Presidential election?

Did they vote for congressmen?

If so, they were actively participating in

our government’s democratic structure.
The Constitution guarantees us a certain
way of life in this country, best summed
up in its own words:

“We the People of the United States, in

Order to form a more perfect Union,
establish Justice, ensure 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.”