America And The Constitution
America Now And Then
If you have watched the news over the last number of months, you will have seen a lot of coverage of the American election. It was big business in terms of news value with a particularly fierce and eventful battle between the Democrats and the Republicans eventually producing a win for the latter. Indeed, with controversial staff picks still being made by the victor, the media have continued to have a field day.
But let’s think about America historically, of how it came about. The Constitution of the United States of America is a very significant document – one that is famous all over the world and which helped shape the nation we know today. It is a fundamental law of the American political system and, amazingly, the oldest written national constitution in use. One of, if not the main features is simply that it defines the basic rights of American citizens.
In 1787, the Constitution was written in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and you can visit sites linked to this today. It was the product of many debates about various topics, from representations and slavery – the Constitution aimed to make life much fairer for all. It concisely organised, for instance, the country’s political institutions, such as The House of Representatives and the Senate.
If you have heard of the musical Hamilton or had the good fortune to see it, you will know it is based on the life of Alexander Hamilton. He championed a strong central government for America and many things that still happen today can be traced back to his hard work.
Amendments And Influence
Throughout history, various amendments have been made – mainly to keep the Constitution up to date and relevant. In total, 27 amendments have been made. In 1920, for example, women’s suffrage was introduced as the 26th amendment, meaning that they had a right to vote. The most recent amendment was in 1992.
Even though the Constitution has had various criticisms over the years, often that it is ambiguous and unclear, it is an extremely dynamic and flexible document. And this is what helps it to be not only very important to America but also well-known and used as a model all around the world.
So, with everything we have been hearing about the 2024 American election, spare a thought to how the Constitution came about all those years ago – it’s absolutely fascinating how what happened in the past has such a big impact on modern-day life.
If you are interested in studying History, Oxford Open Learning offer the chance to do so at several levels, linked below. You can also Contact Us.
