Congress was the central authority to regulate currency, conduct war, and govern foreign affairs. However, it was heavily limited in its abilities since it had no power to compel states to give troops or money. Thus, the 1787 Constitutional Convention became the turning point for introducing specific ways to check and balance the power of the three governmental institutions.
Delegates from all states except Rhode Island met for the Constitutional Convention at the Pennsylvania State House. The building had been previously used for the Declaration of the Independence and Articles of Confederation. None of the delegates available thought they wanted to amend the latter. Instead, they set to draft a new way of governance. The delegates decided on an excellent way of designing an intricate system of checks and balances. The convention failed to agree on a specific methodology that would help ensure that there were checks and balances. It was divided over the issue of the representation of individual states in Congress. The problem that was being encountered was that smaller states wanted equal representation in Congress (Cole, Abdul-Rahman, & Mallon, 2017). This resulted in the resolution where the Connecticut Compromise, promising a bicameral legislature. It had to have the equal representation of states in the upper house called the Senate and a proportional representation of states in the lower house called the House of Representatives. Thirty-eight out of forty-one delegates present signed the United States Constitution. The document would not become binding until nine of the thirteen states had ratified it. Five states quickly ratified the Constitution in succession. However, the belief was that there was a lack of fundamental rights within the Constitution that concerned the freedom of speech, press, and religion. However, New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, and it became the binding document in 1789.
The head of the Executive Branch is the president, an individual that has resided in the United States no less than fourteen years and should be thirty-five years or older. The person should have been born in the United States to qualify for the presidency. US citizens elect the president through the Electoral College system to preside over the country. The president usually has a cabinet with different departments like Defense, Treasury, secretaries of State, and the attorney general. The president appoints them, and the Senate approves of these individuals to serve in various departments. The executive branch comprises independent regulatory agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Reserve System. The president appoints the heads of these commissions, and Senate approves of them (Gelman, 2018). It is impossible that the president can remove any of the commissioners. The Executive Branch also has independent executive agencies like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the Central Intelligence Agency. Other corporations make up the Executive Branch of the federal government, including the United States Postal Service and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. The Constitution was clear on the role that the president would play as part of the United States government’s executive branch. It became imperative to insert checks and balances to ensure that these individuals’ powers would not exceed those that had been expected in the country. It was pre-emptive to avoid converting the United States into a dictatorship by ensuring a cap on the powers-that-be president and other members of the executive branch exercised in the US government. These checks and balances serve a noble purpose that ensures that the Executive Branch’s nature is well understood and does not necessarily center on the president. There is a need for other people to be around this individual to help in the decision-making process.
Independent regulatory agencies are critical to the existence of the United States. They protect the public interest through dispute resolution over federal regulations and enforce the country’s required rules. One of the most important of these organizations is the Securities and Exchange Commission. It is responsible for ensuring that there is a reduction in market manipulation in the country. Monopolistic powers must be broken down to ensure fairness in the competition, which should benefit customers (Leibiger, 2019). The United States Postal Service has been moving packages from one place to the next in the country. The Central Intelligence Agency is responsible for protecting United States citizens against international criminals. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is responsible for space exploration to determine the possibility of finding a place to call home in the skies. The Constitution allows the president to become the leader of their political party. The individual conducts personal diplomacy and formulates foreign policy. An example is Donald Trump’s foreign policy against China that protected American interests by increasing the tariffs on goods manufactured or produced in China. The president can draft legislation due to the expansion in powers. The individual acts as the head of state and appoint cabinet officials, ambassadors, and federal judges. The president negotiates treaties and serves as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.
In conclusion, the 1787 Constitutional Convention marked a critical time in United States history. It was a moment when the United States Constitution was drafted to reduce the power given to Congress as the central power of authority. The nature of the Executive Branch changed to incorporate the president and other officials. Then, the capabilities were reduced slightly due to checks and balances imposed.