Freedom in the U.S. and Iroquois Constitutions

Use excerpts from the Constitution to demonstrate the freedom given to American citizens. Compare and contrast the U.S. Constitution with the Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace (Iroquois Constitution). Your essay should have an introduction, body paragraph, and conclusion. Keep your font size at 12 points and maintain one-inch margins. Refer to your practice guide for more help.

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When you analyze something, you are attempting to understand how its various components interact. In this task, you are investigating how the components of the Constitution work in harmony to establish freedom for American citizens.

It is important to consider the major components of the Constitution, their functions, and the liberties granted by this document.

The document provided liberty for whom? Any exclusions? How did it compare to the Iroquois Constitution? Ensure your essay has a strong debatable thesis and is backed up with evidence from the Constitution for credibility.

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In crafting the Constitution, states exhibited varied responses, with some being defensive while others were more understanding. As a foundational document outlining the laws and rights of the nation's people, the Constitution addressed numerous issues within the country.

Its complexity posed a challenge as it allowed for diverse perspectives and interpretations based on individual readings. It is evident that the viewpoints of the white, wealthy, and elite class American founders influenced The Constitution's creation and execution.

Despite attempts to address cultural, racial, and economic disparities within the country, the issues in the document were largely influenced by these factors that are supported by our society. The framers of the constitution catered to the interests of white land and slave owners, limiting representation for women, slaves, and indentured servants.

The Constitution created a strong central government and weaker state governments. Congress gained power to levy taxes, regulate trade, raise an army, control interstate commerce, and more. The government included three branches: a judicial branch for federal court disputes, an executive branch led by the President, and a legislative branch. In contrast, the anti-federalists preferred weaker central authority and stronger state governments under The Articles of Confederation, adhering strictly to the constitution.

The creation of The Constitution sparked intense debate between elitist and democratic states, as they feared that the Government would usurp all power at the expense of their rights. This conflict was further fueled by the North-South divide, with the North advocating for congressional representation based on total population and the South arguing for representation based on the number of white individuals.

The Three-Fifths Compromise resolved the issue by considering a slave as three-fifths of a free person for the purposes of representation and taxation. In Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, it specifies how the population would be counted. Southern states such as Virginia strongly opposed this because their economy relied on slave labor and they had a larger population as a result.

In his article, Young also refers to the "four ghosts" - Thomas Paine, Abraham Yates, Daniel Shays, and Thomas Peters - who were on the minds of elites during the constitutional process. These figures represented the resistance faced by elites during the revolution, prompting accommodations to prevent conflicts like Shays Rebellion from occurring again (Young 3).

Regarding the Article 4 of the Constitution, it presents two key issues. The first issue relates to the requirement for states to honor the laws of other states, preventing scenarios where a person declared a slave in one state could be freed in another. The second issue, serving as a compromise, ensures equal and fair treatment for citizens across different states and mandates the extradition of individuals accused of crimes who flee from one state to another. This provision could potentially lead to slave states losing labor due to owners claiming slaves that do not belong to them.

William Byrd and others were worried about the effectiveness of the Constitution compared to The Articles of Confederation, leading to the need for most states to ratify it. The Anti-Federalists feared that the federal judicial system would infringe on individual rights and state sovereignty, questioning the authority of judges and fearing a return to monarchical rule. The absence of a guarantee for civil trial by jury in the Constitution allowed judges to handle cases typically dealt with by lower courts.

Concerns were raised about the broad and undefined jurisdiction of federal courts. In response, the framers outlined the powers of the judicial system, such as Congress creating inferior courts to the Supreme Court (Article 3, Section 1). This was part of the checks and balances system to prevent one branch from overpowering the others and to set limits on each branch's power (Constitution 4).

The anti federalists were concerned about the expenses associated with the constitution, particularly for planters and slave owners. They feared that changing laws in their states would be costly and impact their way of life. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution granted states the authority to levy taxes uniformly throughout the United States, providing more protection to elites against financial losses.

Some delegates expressed worries about democracy leading to unqualified people in power. To address this, they implemented additional protections like The Electoral College to prevent ill-informed voters from choosing an incompetent president. They also set requirements for presidential contenders, stating that they must be 35 years old, born in the country, and have resided there for at least 14 years.

To improve the national government-citizen relationship, each state would have its own government and representatives. Additionally, a bill of rights would be implemented to protect the natural rights of individuals.

Despite the diverse backgrounds of framers and citizens causing delays in ratification, the Constitution initially utilized the Articles of Confederation to create a stronger central government. Through extensive debate and the document's adaptability, consensus was eventually achieved.

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