Essay about United States Constitution and Democracy

Democracy, as most people think of it today, did not exist during the first few decades of U.S. history. Democracy, as it is used today, means â€Å" the people rule.† A democracy is a form of government ruled by the people of the country through elections and representation. A democracy is really a form of republic known as a democratic republic. A republic is a government where officials elected by a small group of people that make the important decisions. Democracy has been around for almost 2500 years since Athens, Greece became the first democracy. The Romans also experimented with democracy, however it was more a republic, and not a democracy. Around 1200 England laid the groundwork to become a republic. Later, in the 1700s,†¦show more content†¦Southerners held agreed with many of Jeffersons views. The Anti-Feds and Republicans believed in strict interpretation of the constitution, peaceful foreign relations, and a reduction of the role of the federal government in the lives of average citizens. They were opposed to a strong central government and felt states shou ld hold the power to govern. The Federalists believed that the constitution should be loosely interpreted and that America should follow the spirit of it to make laws and judgments. Federalists wanted to organize the states so a strong federal power could govern over them in order to keep enough power for the economy, war and ruling. Many were opposed to this form of government because it so closely mimicked that of Great Britain. Between these two diverse groups, their followers split the nation. The United States was geographically split North from South. The North was home of manufacturers and industry. Farming was not the Norths economic base as was manufacturing. Crops would not grow year around due to freezing weather; therefore slaves were of no need during off-seasons in farming. Here, it was not economically safe or resourceful to own slaves, because of the fact that they were expensive to acquire and maintain. Since slaves were mostly used in manual labor, their use in the North was almost nonexistent. Blacks were not used in factoriesShow MoreRelatedWhen Asking Oneself If The Original U.S Constitution Is1521 Words   |  7 PagesWhen asking oneself if the original U.S Constitution is democratic, democracy itself must be defined. Democracy is defined as a form of government where all eligible citizens are able to participate equally, either directly, or through elected representatives-majority rule. The original U.S Constitution, including The Bill of Rights, as written is not necessarily a true democratic document, but it is rather a document that calls for more of a constitutional republic. This is true despite the factRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence And The Constitution1668 Words   |  7 Pagesachievements of humanity as a whole has been the development of democracy. This idea sprouted with the growth of history’s most successful and innovative civilizations; the Greeks and the Romans. Their enormous populations called for a fai r and just way of governing. Why not allow control to stem from the populations own members? This logical way of thought is still evident in the world today, especially in the democracy of the United States of America. Upon examination of America’s most valuable textsRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States Essay1423 Words   |  6 PagesThe type of government the United States has in the year 2016 can be characterized as a representative democracy. A representative democracy, also known as an indirect democracy, is a type of democracy founded on the principle of elected officials representing the people. 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This is what has happened in all societies under all governments tried up until that time and this is what will develop in the new government despite its democratic pretensionsRead MoreThe Athenian and American Systems of Government1671 Words   |  7 Pagesadvanced system of government of the ancient world. The system of Athens was called a Democracy. That is, every citizen voted on everything. People have claimed that the United States is also a Democracy. This is not true. The government of the United States is a Constitutional Republic (Every). United States citizens vote for representatives, who then vote on the laws. They themselves are limited by a constitution. Democracy is a flawed government system. The Constitutional Republic is also flawed, howeverRead MoreGuatemala And United States Government Systems Essay1032 Words   |  5 PagesGuatemala and United States’ Government Systems Government is the authority that addresses, control and administers the institutions of a community. 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