The United States Constitution - Article Example

The United s Constitution and Philadelphia: Home of true Americans On September 17, 1787, the United s Constitution, one of the most important documents this nation has ever given thought to, was penned down and signed by thirty-nine of the fifty-five delegates in attendance at the Constitutional Convention, as well as the secretary of the convention (Skousen, 2006). Twelve of the thirteen states that were recognized during that time, including Pennsylvania, were represented by delegates. The Constitution, which had replaced the Articles of Confederation, details the rights and privileges that the people of the United States are entitled within restraint of the law and are still in use today as much as they had ever been, with the first ten articles being known as the Bill of Rights. Although every state had something to gain from the signing of the Constitution, it was Pennsylvania that had much to strive for by the new laws written in the document, such as more freedom and more rights that they could benefit from, as well as having the honor of being the location decided upon for the convention to take place. When it comes to politics, many people find it hard to become excited, yet by becoming the home of such an important event and document, the people of Pennsylvania quickly felt like they were truly Americans. People Involved in the Signing Of the thirty-nine delegates to sign the Constitution, eight of them came from and represented Pennsylvania: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Mifflin, Robert Morris, George Clymer, Thomas Fitzsimons, Jered Ingersoll, James Wilson, and Gouverneur Morris (Webster, 2010). All of these Pennsylvanian men are also considered to be among the Founding Fathers of the United States as they were behind some of the more drastic changes that the nation has ever seen, including the signing of the documents that would change the laws and freedoms in which a United States citizen was entitled to, as well as presidencies and highly looked upon government careers. All of these men had strong political backgrounds and experiences with working for law-driven changes, which gave them the knowledge that they needed to adopt the laws and articles in the Constitution. As political figures, they knew what citizens required to live free, fulfilling lives, as well as what legal issues needed to be addressed, such as what rights citizens were entitled to and what rights needed to be altered in accordance to the demands of the citizens and the needs of the time, like gun laws and criminal rights laws. It had been readily agreed upon that the people that should be in charge of creating such laws should be those that knew firsthand what the citizens wanted and had already displayed the capabilities to make these important decisions. The feeling had been mutual that those in charge of changing and adapting laws should be people that could see from a personal perspective the importance of these changes. The men that originated from Pennsylvania all, at some time or another, had used their political powers to improve legal issues that were plaguing Pennsylvania prior to the signing of the Constitution. Thus, a lot of what was taking place between politicians and citizens inspired many of the laws and rights now seen throughout the Constitution. Furthermore, as the men had been previously successful in inspiring changes for citizens, much faith was put into them to continue to inspire the changes that would be made with the creation of the Constitution. Although it was not the intention, these men had been the hope that citizens of Pennsylvania needed; a hope that was shared throughout the United States. It was also widely believed that those who represented Pennsylvania, or played even a small role in the formation of the Constitution, did so especially out of reverence and respect for their chosen state. As Pennsylvania had been the state chosen to be the meeting place for the signing, those that represented the state felt that it was a duty for them to respect and approve of what was taking place. Where the Drafting and Signing Took Place The writing and signing of the United States Constitution took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This location was chosen because it was the location of the State House, and it was where the Articles of Confederation had seen the majority of its revisions. Furthermore, citizens of Pennsylvania became overtly proud and positively responsive to their state being the one to house the creation of such an important document, as people would rally outside of the State House, cheering on such drastic, wanted changes; although the spirit of the signing of the Constitution could be felt from all of the states, Pennsylvanian citizens reveled even more in the fact that their state had been “the chosen one for a massive turning point in American history (Schweikart, 2007)”. Philadelphia continues to be one of the most historical landmarks of Americans, continuing to increase the pride towards the United States that Pennsylvania has. The building that was used for the drafting and signing of the Constitution was the Pennsylvania State House, which is located in Philadelphia, and is now known as Independence Hall. The Pennsylvania State House is the same location in which the Declaration of Independence had been written; this groundbreaking event is one of the inspirations behind the changing of the name of the building. George Washington had also been presented with his commission as Commander of the Continental Army at the Pennsylvania State House. Due to its grand history and the many roles that it had played in the past, the government decided that it only made sense for the Pennsylvania State House to be used as the location for the drafting and signing of the Constitution. Around the same time of the drafting and signing of the Constitution, Philadelphia had been a very lively city, thus providing more support for the birth of the Constitution. Philadelphia had always been a city of opportunity and promise, though this was not as obvious as it had been during the late 1780s. The large, bustling city was home to many hopefuls looking for better work and a better, therefore offering a variety of jobs and careers such as theatres, bookstores, libraries, taverns, and a circus. The opening of “Mr. Peale’s Museum” also brought about the public display of art and biological specimens (Roberts, 2005), which prompted the feeling of change and entrepreneurship amongst the citizens of the city. The Reasons Behind the Creation of the Constitution As previously stated, one of the reasons as to why the United States Constitution had been written to begin with was due to the fact that the Articles of Confederation were no longer holding up to their standards. Another reason for the birth of the document was “to keep the Federal Government as small as possible (Ollman, 1990)”, though it does not seem that this had been successful; however, the Constitution made it easier for those in the Federal Government to make sure that the laws were properly adapted and adhered to. The liberation of America was not something that took place overnight; government officials and ordinary citizens spent years trying to form something that Americans take for granted on a daily basis in these modern times. The Constitution was improved upon from the original Articles of Confederation to help progress the freedom of American citizens. The original laws were not working out and were not properly complying with the new American thought of freedom and choice. Some of the laws of the Articles of Confederation were altered to fit these new concepts, while others were cut completely and replaced with laws that were more appropriate to the changing times. Regardless of the aforementioned reasons, one of the most important purposes behind the writing of the Constitution was to give all of the citizens of the United States the same, equal rights - all of which were based on the needs as seen by Pennsylvanian citizens. Though there isn’t a single person responsible for the creation of the Constitution, the Pennsylvanian citizens were the sample size for the entire nation. As Pennsylvania had been the home of the writing and signing of the Constitution, many of the lawmakers looked to the citizens of Pennsylvania for what needed to be changed. Without their knowing it, Pennsylvanians became what can be considered the outline for the United States Constitution. The Effects on History and the Present Being the state to house the birth of the Constitution, Pennsylvania was one of the first to immediately see the changes that were brought about by the Constitution. They were the ones that had eagerly watched as all of the happenings took place, acting as almost spectators to an amazing event in history. The inspiration of the forming and implementing of the Constitution inspired others to make their own changes, “bettering themselves as they made good use to their rights under the newly instated Constitution (Meese, 2006)”. Being so close to all of the action, citizens of Pennsylvania, especially those in Philadelphia, could think of nothing better than to be patriotic and appreciative of the country, and the state, in which they lived, by showing their full support for their representatives during the duration of the signing. Neighboring states became infected with the same excitement, and the laws quickly found their place amongst the citizens of the United States. What started in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania immediately spread to the rest of the nation. History was forever changed with the creation of the Constitution. While the changes were incredibly noticeable to those that were living through the changes as they had never had rights to these extremes, they are hardly given a passing glance in this day and age. As was previously stated, the majority of states have made their own laws that essentially alter and, in many instances, go against what was written in the Constitution, but numerous citizens have been able to sue for their rights if they feel that they are going against the Constitution, as that is the supreme law of the nation. The Constitution has allowed citizens to know what they are entitle to and if there really is anything to fight for when they feel that their rights are being violated. The Constitution still remains to be one of the most important documents that the United States possesses and claims. It continues to outline the rights of citizens and while the laws may not be altered, other states use the laws as guidelines to other laws that they try to adapt in their own jurisdiction. As it did when it was first being written, even before it was even signed by those thirty-nine remarkable gentlemen, the Constitution symbolized something more than rules and laws -- it symbolized freedom and hope, especially for those in the influential, open-minded state of Pennsylvania. Read More