The War Powers Resolution is a pivotal U.S. law passed in 1973 to clarify and limit the President's authority to deploy U.S. armed forces without Congressional approval. Passed in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, it requires the President to consult with Congress before engaging in…
The Crittenden Compromise was proposed as an effort to prevent the Civil War. It aimed to constitutionally protect slavery in existing states and extend it into territories located south of the Missouri Compromise line. Introduced by Senator John J. Crittenden, the compromise included six…
The 4th Amendment protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. It requires law enforcement to have a warrant, supported by probable cause, before searching a person, their home, or their belongings. This amendment protects privacy and personal security.
The 3rd Amendment prohibits the government from forcing people to house soldiers in their homes during peacetime without their consent. It was created in response to British practices before the American Revolution and reinforces the right to privacy and property.
The 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms. Originally intended to ensure a well-regulated militia for national defense, it is now widely debated regarding individual gun rights and regulations.
In Federalist No. 46, James Madison discusses whether the state or federal level of government will receive more popular support. He believes that the American people will be more attached to their state governments than the federal government and that the federal government will not encroach into…
This data table lists the names, states, places of birth, birth dates, death dates, occupation, religion, and whether or not the person signed the U.S. Constitution.
Charles Beard, a leading historian and political scientist from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, wrote the book, "An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States," to study the motivations of the Founding Fathers in drafting the U.S. Constitution. He observed…
Federalist No. 1 serves as the introduction to the Federalist Papers, written by Alexander Hamilton and published under the alias "Publius." In Federalist No. 1, Hamilton discusses his ideas regarding the debate surrounding the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. He emphasizes…
The U.S. Constitution established the United States of America as a federal presidential republic and acts as the supreme law of the country. It established the framework for the federal government, creating three branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial branches. It succeeded the…
<p><span class="deck"><span class="typestyle">A leading American historian challenges the long-entrenched interpretation originated by the late Charles A. Beard</span> </span></p>
<p><span class="deck"> <span class="typestyle"> Without doubt they were Washington, who walked carefully within the Constitution, and Lincoln, who stretched it as far as he dared</span> </span></p>
<p><span class="deck">The battle smoke of the Revolution had scarcely cleared when desperate economic conditions in Massachusetts led former patriots to rise against the government they had created. The fear this event aroused played an important part in shaping the new Constitution of the United States</span></p>
<p>After the Revolution, Washington returned to farming at Mount Vernon but eventually called for that he wished a “Convention of the People” to establish a “Federal Constitution”</p>
<p><span class="deck">A recent British ambassador to Washington takes a generous-spirited but clear-eyed look at the document that, as he points out, owes its existence to King George III</span></p>
<p><span class="deck"> Should Mick Jagger get off of his cloud? And make room for Red Cloud? Was the Architect of Liberty a lousy architect? And who let the poodles out? Our fifth annual survey puts them all in their place.</span> </p>
<p><span class="deck">The founding fathers’ belief in the “law of the land” derived from a 13th-century document recently donated to the National Archives.</span></p>
<p><span class="deck">A diminutive, persuasive Virginian hijacked the Constitutional Convention and forced the moderates to accept a national government with vastly expanded powers.</span></p>
<p>It is important to tell the story of the Constitution’s origins in a way that demythifies it. Impressive as they were, the men who wrote the Constitution were not demigods; they had interests, prejudices, and moral blind spots.</p>
<p>Taft is remembered for emphasizing constitutional restraint as president, but he also set aside more public lands and brought more anti-trust suits than his predecessor, Theodore Roosevelt. And he set the standard for integrity and personal conduct in the White House.</p>
<p>The first ten amendments prevent majorities from exercising power at the expense of individuals. But they weren’t called a “bill of rights” until more than a century after ratification.</p>
<p>A leading expert who helped a dozen nations write their constitutions explains how the Founders' ideas have had a lasting influence at home and abroad.</p>
<p>Chief Justice Roger Taney made his contribution to the ideology of white supremacy when he asserted that blacks were a people apart, beyond the promise of the<em> Declaration</em> and the guarantees of the <em>Constitution</em>.</p>
