Thoughts (Summary & Analysis)
The convention of 1787 was stimulated by severe economic troubles that had produced radical political movements and a need for a strong central government. This meeting aimed to amend the Articles of the Confederation. The constitution was formed through multiple ideas from different delegates, who were 42 in total. The ideas in the constitution originated from the enlightenment period, where beliefs that people were born with certain innate rights which were to be upheld. A thorny issue that emerged at the convention was representation based on numbers. This was resolved by Rodger Sherman, whose idea is used to date in structuring both the house of representatives and in the senate. Federalism enabled states to make their own laws that favor the individual needs while still remaining part of the larger country and being united. The three branches of government act as a system of checks and balances that ensure power is divided to prevent one entity from being too powerful.
Questions
Under Federalism that allows states to make their own laws, have their been laws made by states that conflicted with the national law or constitution? Another question that emerges is what issues were so contentious that the three dissenters decided not to sign the constitution?
Epiphanies
Under the Articles of Confederation, states were allowed to print their own money and make trade deals with other countries! This makes one wonder what bill of tender was then used by the national government, and how was interstate trade made with every state having their own currencies? Another interesting point is that during the 17th century, people could challenge each other to duels where guns were used as weapons. This even led to the death of Alexander Hamilton, who was one of the important delegates in the constitutional convention.