Writing the Constitution
Essential Questions
• Why did the colonists seek to develop a weak central
government at the close of the Revolutionary War?
• What problems were inherent in the Articles of Confederation?
• What philosophical and political ideals did the Framers draw
from writing the Constitution?
• How did the Framers use compromise to ensure that the
Constitution would reflect different points of view?
• How did the Framers ensure that governmental power would
be shared between national and state governments, as well as
among the three branches of the federal government?
• How does the Constitution ensure civil liberties?
Foundations: Greece and Rome
• Democratic
elements of
ancient Greek
civilization
• Aristotle’s
classification of
government
• The ancient
Roman Republic
A Roman tribune presiding over a council
of citizens
The Magna Carta
• Signed by King John of
England in 1215
• Placed monarchs and
magistrates under rule
of law
• Established English
common law
• Influenced the Fifth
Amendment
Thomas Hobbes
• Leviathan (1651)
• Discusses the origin of
centralized government
• Explains the “social
contract” theory
• Early humans gave up a
“state of nature” for
government’s protection
The cover of Leviathan depicts
government as an unruly monster
John Locke
• Two Treatises of
Government (1689)
• “Natural rights” to “life,
liberty, and property”
• Government responsible
for protecting the
people’s rights
• The people have the
right to change their
government
John Locke
Montesquieu
• The Spirit of the Laws
(1748)
• Classified government
into three types:
– Monarchies
– Republics
– Despotisms
• Developed the concept
of separation of powers
Charles de Secondat,
Baron de Montesquieu
Albany Plan of Union
Benjamin Franklin’s famous “Join Or Die”
cartoon, published to support the Albany
Plan of Union
• Proposed in 1754 by
Benjamin Franklin
• Early attempt at uniting
colonies
• Based in part on
Iroquois Confederacy
• Never adopted, but
served as a rough draft
for Articles and
Constitution
The Declaration of Independence
• Thomas Jefferson
(1776)
• Does not institute a
government
• Borrowed heavily from
Locke’s concepts of
natural rights
• Designates government
as protector of these
rights
Thomas Jefferson
Discussion Questions
1. What elements of ancient Greek and Roman
government are evident in the Constitution?
2. What concepts from Enlightenment philosophers
influenced the content of the Constitution?
3. What “American” influences does the Constitution
include? Why might these sources have been
included?