Influences of the Constitution
Benjamin Franklin, Jean-Jaques Roussea, and the Articles
The Articles of Confederation vs. The Constitution
Problems With The Articles
· 1 vote for each state, regardless of size
· Congress is powerless to lay and collect taxes/duties
· Congress is powerless to regulate foreign and interstate commerce
· No executive branch to enforce acts of congress
· No national court system
· Amendment only with consent of all states
· A 9/13 majority required to pass laws
· Articles only a “firm league of friendship”· Only 1 branch of government
How It’s Fixed in the Constitution
· Amount of votes per state is based on population
· Congresses duty to collect federal taxes
· Article 1, section 8, clause 3
-congress has the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several states, and with Indian tribes
· President was put in place to enforce congress
· We now have a supreme court
· Doesn’t require consent
-only requires ¾ majority
(Article 5)
· President signs/vetoes a bill to make it a law
-congress can override the veto
· States combined in only 1 nation
· Has 3 branches of government
Jean-Jaques Rousseau's Influence on the Constitution
- Felt that the government should be split into powers: thats where we got the 3 branches of government
- Government is as strong as the people
He was really big on freedom. His idea of freedom is the obedience to a self imposed law of reason (natural law). Co-existence of free and equal citizens in a community where they themselves are sovern.
Benjamin Franklin's Influence on the Constitution
- In the Great Compromise he helped the convention decide whether congressional representation would be the same for each state or depend on population. He supported equal reprentation in senate and population based representation in the House of Representatives.
- Franklin was one of the editors of the Constitution, after Thomas Jefferson's 1st draft, Benjamin Franklin revised it.
- Franklin also supported also supported more equal distribution of power between the branches of government. He believed the executive branch needed to give power to the legislative and judicial branches to even it out.