Forging a Nation: The Visionaries of the Constitution

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The delegates chosen to represent their states on May 25, 1787 at the Constitutional Convention could never have imagined the lasting impact they would have on the nation for over 200 years. These men from diverse upbringings and unique educational backgrounds came together to forge a nation. From the chaos and change of the old world, they were able to bring forth a new nation founded on liberty. It is hard to overrate the amount of foresight and knowledge needed by the Framers of the Constitution in constructing a document that would guide a new nation through times of peace and upheaval. The Framers of the Constitution were visionaries. Most of the contributors of the Constitution were older, wealthy, well-educated business owners with …show more content…

Three of the most important contributions these men gave were the theory of the separation of powers, the creation of the cabinet, and the two term precedent. James Madison held much foresight as he studied all functioning governments, then created an unimaginable, unthinkable new government where every branch was equal. Madison invented a form of government that put checks and balances on each branch of government. Originally in British government, the executive branch had authority and power in both the judicial and legislative branches. Madison found that no one branch should have authority over another and established a system of checks and balances. This system ensured that one branch could not dominate over others. Not only was Madison a vital character in the formation of American government, but George Washington also left an important imprint on the United States today. As first president of the new nation, Washington set many precedents that have endured through every presidential term today. As first president, George Washington knew he could not oversee the executive branch alone. Washington first made a cabinet, appointing well established men that set many expectations for future cabinet members. Each man held an important job in an executive department, lessening the workload on Washington. The cabinet members met

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