What are some reasons why the constitution is important?

Answer 1

The constitution is important because it has been the backbone of the American Government for the last 230 years. It is the oldest written Constitution in the world. The Constitution has given every citizen over the past 230 years a guideline for their rights; as well as, the rights of the people running the country. The Constitution has allowed America to change power from one president to another without a revolution, like many other countries go through. It has given America the possibility to grow and expand to what it has become today. Without the Constitution, America would be just another country.

Answer 2

In its most general sense, a constitution is the fundamental, underlying framework of government for a nation or state. Most countries have a constitution. The United States has a constitution and is a constitutional government because it requires everyone regardless of position or office to abide by higher law. The United States Constitution establishes both the government's power and the fundamental rights belonging to all people who reside within the borders

? While most of the world's constitutions are written, they need not be. For instance, Great Britain has an unwritten constitution. When the British refer to the term constitution, they are referring to their collective legal traditions, including: the Magna Carta of 1215, the English Bill of Rights of 1687, Acts of Parliament, and the collective decisions of the British Courts (known as the common law).

? When people in the United States refer to the Constitution, they are often referring to the written document that lays out the structure and function of the federal government and that contains the Bill of Rights. People also may refer to their own state Constitutions.

The Provisions of the U.S. Constitution
? Written in 1787 and ratified in 1789, the U.S. Constitution is the oldest national Constitution still in use.

? The U.S. Constitution contains seven Articles.

o Article I established the Legislative Branch of government.
o Article II established the Executive Branch of government.
o Article III established the Judicial Branch of government.
o Article IV regulated the relations of individual states with each other.
o Article V established a means for amending the Constitution.
o Article VI established the Constitution as the Supreme Law of the Land.
o Article VIII established a procedure for ratifying the Constitution.

? There are 27 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution of which only 25 are active.

o The first Ten Amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. They list specific rights of the people which the government may not infringe upon. They were added immediately after the Constitution was ratified. (e.g., freedom of religion).
o The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited the sale or transportation of alcohol and the Twenty-first Amendment repealed the Eighteenth.
o The remaining amendments either alter portions of the Constitution or expand individual rights.

The Importance and Strength of the U.S. Constitution
? One of the primary roles of any Constitution is to limit the powers of a government by informing all of the citizenry of those powers a government may legitimately possess.

? No Constitutions: Historically, many rulers did not write constitutions in an attempt to keep all power to themselves. For instance, King Louis XIV of France (who did not have a constitution) is famous for saying "I am the State"-meaning that the law was whatever he said it was. A constitution exists to prohibit such unchecked concentrations of power.

? The British Constitution and the Revolution: Although they saw many benefits of the unwritten British Constitution, the Founders argued that, without reducing basic principles of government to writing, they were too easy for rulers to manipulate. Indeed, the Founders justified the Revolution by arguing that the British King and Parliament routinely violated the British Constitution. Thus, they established a written Constitution for America.

? "Empty Constitutions": Even if constitutions are written, they are empty if the government is free to ignore their provisions at will. For instance, the former Soviet Union had a Constitution, which it often disregarded.

? The U.S. Constitution: The ultimate strength of the U.S. Constitution is that it not only establishes a government, but it establishes a government which, to use Thomas Jefferson's words, can "govern itself." In other words, the document not only lets all people know the limits of the government's power, but, the system of checks and balances that it has created ensures that these limits will be obeyed.


Contact the resource author with your comments and suggestions at .
Need extra help? Contact us!

Answer 3

The Constitution gives us our Rights as free citizens of The United States of America.

Answer 4

Why is the constitution important? Well first of all, it gives you rights that you would never have in any other country. For example, freedom of speech, freedom of press, and many more. The most important one though is THE CONSTITUTION GIVES YOU MANY RIGHTS THAT YOU WOULD NOT HAVE IN OTHER COUNTRIES!

Answer 5

Our forefathers fought for our freedom. So that we could have things like two stories homes and either a car ,truck or a motor cycle. If we didn't have the constitution we wouldn't have as many choices as we do. And last but not least, we would be paying so much on taxes, like gas could be like 5 or 8 dollars a gallon and we would never have opportunity to be who you want to be. We are (Americans) really blessed for being born in the U.S. (Don't lose your pride for America).

Answer 6

The shape ensures the form of government all of us understand immediately and that has been in existence via fact that 1787. It provides a collection of frustrating-quickly regulations for the introduction and perpetuation of a legislature (homestead and Senate), an government (the President), and a judiciary (the acceptable courtroom and federal courts). It provides a collection of frustrating-quickly regulations for the kinds of rules the federal government could pass and instruments limits, so as that if the legislature is going previous those limits, the courts can strike the guidelines down as unconstitutional. It provides a invoice of rights, such via fact the thirteenth via fifteenth Amendments extra after the civil warfare to make certain that each physique individuals are taken care of extremely and the two as much as achievable, in spite of the imperfect nature of our society in line with it being made out of human beings. And while skill must be transmitted from one party or team to a various in line with elections, it is transmitted peacefully and in an orderly style devoid of bloodshed. Or so its all meant to be and for this reason a procedures been. and thanks to the above, the form is respected with the help of the courts, the legislature and the president as a manner to maintain our way of existence and take care of a civil government of the persons, with the help of the persons, for the persons.

Answer 7

It made the government, it balances the government out too, and The Bill of Rights (the ten amendments made to the Constitution before it was accepted) includes free speech, freedom of the press, fair trials, and freedom of religion.

Hope that helped. ;)

Answer 8

We can say whatever the hell we want (unless it is a threat to a higher-up such as politician), it allows us to put so much stuff on the internet, there are a lot of freedoms for women now, and stuff like that. Join this site: forums.megatokyo.com, join (free), and post this question in the Party System (political) Forums. I would just love to see the responses.