foundations upon which the United States of America was founded
The documents outlining the foundations upon which the United States of America was founded were written by its founding fathers between 1764 and 1791. These documents, collectively referred to as American founding documents, include: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution. They were aimed at providing a guideline to the self-rule of the original thirteen American states after independence from British colony. As newly freed colonies, the states had to learn how to get along and develop ways of amicably resolving their differences. It was a learning process that has helped The United States of America to develop into a fully functioning independent civilization; and the founding documents have affected American citizens positively.
The Declaration of Independence was passed by Congress on July 4, 1776 (Harrison, 2018). It was a unanimous decision by the then thirteen states that comprised America. The Declaration was made in response to the absolute Despotism, injuries, and usurpations suffered by the Colonies under the King of Great Britain (Muss-Barnes, 2018). After the declaration of independence, political leaders were concerned that the new Republic would descend into chaos. The main philosophical question that worried the leaders was the level of freedom to be provided to the citizens. The now free states needed a framework that would guide them in their self governance and thus The Articles of Confederation were developed. They outlined the rule by which the “league of friendship” would function. They were constructed by members of the Continental Congress and ratified on March 1, 1781. They were applied for six years during which the leaders noted that the management tool had little effectiveness.
In 1787, delegates representing the thirteen states convened a Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia to discuss and solve the problems identified in the Articles of Confederation. However, the plan changed, and they decided to draft a new document altogether. The aim of the delegates was to chart for the United States a path out of political and economic disorder, into a more stable environment. The new document was The Constitution of the United States. It came into effect on June 21, 1788 after being ratified by nine states; New Hampshire being the ninth (Muss-Barnes, 2018). The document defined the powers, responsibilities, and limits of the arms of the government of the United States of America. After a period of tussle between Federalists in support of the Constitution and Anti-Federalists opposed to it, it was adopted by the thirteen original states in 1789.
It is imperative to note that at the time it was adopted, the Constitution did not include the Bill of Rights. The latter were adopted in 1791 to quell the fears of those who believed that the Constitution assigned too much power to the Federal government. Following the ratification of the Constitution, America has gone through several phases of power shifts between the state and national governments: Dual Federalism (1789 to 1901), Cooperative Federalism between 1901 and 1960, Creative Federalism that lasted between 1960 and 1968, and now Contemporary Federalism (1970 – present).
Federalism has been invaluably instrumental in promotion of world peace and maintenance of sociopolitical order. When a government has jurisdiction over an expansive region such as America, the liberties of people are destroyed (Schultz & Vile, 2015). This was the opinion of George Mason who in 1776 wrote the Virginia Bill of Rights. He was borrowing from the experience of having been under the British Monarchy when he opposed Federal governance of the United States. Regions vary in customs, manners, and habits of the inhabitants. Therefore, applying similar rules may favor one group while at the same time, oppressing another. The distribution of powers between the federal and state governments is seldom equal. Local governments oversee the day-to-day interactions of the members of the society, whereas the federal government ensures that there is economic inclusion of all states regardless of size or economic capacity (Sidgwick, 2012). This separation of functions gives autonomy to the state governments while still holding them accountable to a higher authority to curtail misuse and abuse of power.
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights have also helped to improve life for Americans diversity notwithstanding. When the Civil Rights Act of 1866 was passed, it was aimed at protecting and defining a channel of engaging newly freed slaves whose population was approximately four million. The origin of Civil Liberties can be traced back to 1920 and serves to protect the rights of workers to organize and protest (Schultz & Vile, 2015). Although changes have occurred due to the challenges encountered, the primary intention remains: protecting members likely to be exploited and discriminated against in the society.
In the present society, it is evident that Civil Rights have invariably improved educational opportunities and outcomes for women, racial minorities, older persons, and people living with disabilities (PLWD) in America. Dropout rates have decreased while high school graduation rates have increased among the African Americans and Latinos. Women participation in sports and politics increased. Furthermore, the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) was formulated to address the challenges encountered by PLWD learners.
In conclusion, there are three primary founding documents that have steered America to its present stature: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. Through these documents, it is evident that from the time America gained independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain it adopted the federal system of governance. This system has been considered beneficial to the society, especially for the marginalized members. Federalism has made possible the maintenance of societal order as different governments have separate but complementary roles. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights also, improved life outcomes for groups that were initially at disadvantaged positions by providing them with equal education and employment opportunities to other members of the society.