Have you read the Declaration of Independence? and the US Constitution?

Question

What do they mean to you?

Answer 1

Yes and if you compare it to the original document written in 1776 you will see that politicians over the years have added what they call amendments to the affect that you cannot change the Constitution if it doesn't work, because that would be treason. In the original document it states that if ever there came a time when this document does not work it will then be time to scrap the old Constitution and write up and enact a new one to favor the time we are living in now.

Answer 2

I have read these, and many other important documents, including the Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Rights & Grievances, the Articles of Confederation.

Other good documents to read are the Kentucky & Virginia Resolutions, the Resolutions of the Hartford Secession Convention (when the North was planning to secede over the War of 1812), Lincoln's first Inaugural Address (when he says that he will not go to war over slavery, but he will go to war over taxes), and the Emancipation Proclamation (in which Lincoln does NOT actually emancipate any slaves!).

When you take all of these documents together, you see an interesting change in the relationship between the Legislative and Executive branches.

Before the Magna Carta, the English King held effectively absolute power. The Magna Carta created a body of nobles that later evolved into the House of Lords in the British Parliament. This was the beginning of the legislative branch in England, and the next several hundred years saw the legislative branch become more powerful and the monarchy become less powerful.

Following the Declaration of Independence, the Americans created the Articles of Confederation, which had no Executive Branch; all power was held by the legislative branch. In this respect, the Constitution was actually a counter-revolution, since it created a new Executive Branch.

The power of the Executive Branch grew steadily since then. The Kentucky & Virginia Resolutions were, in part, reactions to it, and the South Carolina Nullification Crisis was substantially about Executive Power. By the Civil War, Lincoln was in effect a dictator, with the Congress having little if any actual power.

Today, we see the Executive Branch is by far the most powerful branch of government. The Legislative Branch provides "oversight" of the Executive, but by and large, the Executive Branch does what it wants, and later, the Legislative Branch or the Judiciary might try to reign in the Executive Branch. Under the Constitution, that was not the plan; the President has almost no power under the Constitution, and is clearly not intended to be equal to the Congress, much less superior to it.

Answer 3

The announcement of Independence isn't a legally binding rfile. The Amendments to the U. S. shape assure each and every person the right to equivalent secure practices below regulation, and that mandate is utilized to the states besides as to the federal government. apart from, the finished faith and credit clause demands states to correctly known and honor one yet another's licenses and contracts (that's why you canchronic between states devoid of needing to get a motive force's license from the state you're driving into), meaning that marriage licenses issued in one state could be recognized by ability of the others, and by ability of the federal government. So, ultimately, confident.

Answer 4

Yes. The declaration is an important historic statement of principle, and the constitution is the foundation of our laws and government.

Answer 5

If so many people have read them, how come the federal government has so many agencies doing things that the Constitution says it can't do?

Answer 6

the whole constitution but only the first part of the declaration

Answer 7

I consider it mandatory reading for myself twice a year. I read it on the 4Th of July and New Years day. It really isn't that big a deal. Even with the amendments we aren't talk hours.

Of course fireworks, champagne, barbecues, and what ever sport happens to be in season are far more important to many Americans.

They are far too important to describe, words fail me on this issue. And that seldom happens.

Answer 8

Yes. The language is beautiful. They're so...not perfect, but the potential was there (is there?) for wonderful people to live and rule themselves. I wish people talked and wrote like that still today. It gives me hope.

Answer 9

YES!!! Makes you very proud to be American and to think that the people who wrote both of these documents had to be very intelligent and with great foresight into the future of this great country. GOS BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!!!!!!!1

Answer 10

it was written for people 300 years ago , sorry but thats why our country is in the fix it is in today. best to put it in the smithstonian and write another one that deals with the people of today.