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Declaration of Independence Overview

Declaration of Independence Overview

Background

The Declaration of Independence was authored in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson, with the help of fellow political leaders, such as John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. Ratified on July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence became the first political doctrine of its kind, advocating for a governing body whose purpose was to serve the citizens that it represented – a contrast of the British monarchy under which the citizens of the United States had been subject prior to the Revolutionary War. Furthermore, the doctrine diagrammed a central government whose power resulted from the consent of its citizens to be governed.
The Declaration of Independence established the newly-formed United States of America as a sovereign nation, cutting all ties – both political and gubernatorial – with the British monarchy. The text of the Declaration of Independence not only confirmed the autonomy of the United States of America, but also outlined the various transgressions committed by the British monarchy under King George III.
Lack of Governmental Power

Thomas Jefferson credited political philosopher John Locke with much of the inspiration for democratic ideology that he had implemented in his authorship of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson had been particularly moved by Locke’s notion of a just governing body. Locke stated that every citizen would be entitled to inherent rights and liberties that could not be removed by any governmental body. In addition, Locke stated that the citizens grant their respective government permission to govern them, and as a result, the true power is in the possession of those citizens, rather than any governing body.
Thomas Jefferson took Locke’s notion a step further by laying the groundwork for a system of checks and balances, in which a central government is split into separate factions, thus preventing totalitarian rule. The separate branches of government would be required to work in tandem in order to act. 
Implications and Image for The Constitution

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by all of the 13 states of the newly-formed United States of America, and the implications of the doctrine were apparent. Not only was the United States establishing its sovereignty as an autonomous nation, but the authors of the Declaration of Independence cited what they believed to be fundamental flaws and inefficiencies of the British monarchy under King George III. By doing so, they allowed for a contrast between a totalitarian ruling body operating with absolute power and an elected central government; a government that would be required to act as a public servant, protecting the interests and rights of its citizens. In addition, as a sign of diplomatic faith, the Declaration of Independence not only demanded the release of all British prisoners being held captive in the United States, but a return of all British loyalist property unjustly seized subsequent to the end of the Revolutionary War.
General Message and Authorship
The Declaration of Independence not only illustrated the contempt for totalitarian, monarchical rule on the part of political figureheads such as Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin, but also elucidated what they considered to be the fundamental flaws of a tyrannical infrastructure that utilized absolute power in order to maintain dominance over its subjects. The Declaration of Independence expresses a clear philosophical message that highlights the incorporation of humanism in the development of the ideal creed to which a democratic central government would adhere. 
The authors of the Declaration of Independence placed their respective faith and trust in both the ability as well as the judgment of the citizens of the United States, both present and future. By allowing the citizens of the United States the opportunity to not only elect their governing body, but also the opportunity to choose to be governed by that elected body, some political philosophers consider the Declaration of Independence to be the a prototype for humanistic political theory.

Articles of Confederation Overview

Articles of Confederation Overview

Background
The Articles of Confederation was the first implemented national policy after the establishment of the United States of America, as a result of their independence from England. The citizens of the new nation were scarred as a result of their existence under the monarchy of King George II. As such, the authors of the Articles of Confederation opted to remove all control that a governing body could potentially exercise over the individual 13 states. 
Though the central government could control the military, postal service, currency, and foreign policy, it was powerless to influence any of the actions of the sovereign 13 states. However, the dysfunctions of the Articles of Confederation made way for the ratification of the Constitution, which successfully fused the presence of a central government with an innate focus on the interest of its citizens.
Inherent Weaknesses

Amongst the critics of the Articles of Confederation, few were more vocal than the Federalists, a political group headed by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, passionate about uniting the 13 states rather than granting them sovereignty. The Federalists warned that without the presence of a central government to create and enforce laws on a national level, unity could not exist. As a result of the lack of power that the central government had over the 13 states, it could only request payment from the respective states, as well as merely suggest that laws be followed. 
The Federalists illustrated a paradox that plagued the Articles of Confederation: Though the central government could establish laws, they were unable to enforce them. As a result, each State was granted sovereignty. This proved to add a dangerous dynamic to the newly-formed nation – it was foregoing the autonomy that it had fought to regain.
Lacking Executive Power
The Articles of Confederation were penned in order to prevent a totalitarian government, yet its contents were regarded as both extremist and reactionary by the Federalists. One of the primary criticisms brought forth by the Federalists in regards to the Articles of Confederation was the presumption that its authors had simply exchanged one unsatisfactory situation for another. By disallowing the central government to retain any control over any of the individual 13 states, who at the time considered themselves to be sovereign entities, created a situation in which the existence of any nationalized policy was impossible.
Though the Articles of Confederation allowed the central government control over the military, postal service, and the creation of currency, the states could only be asked to make monetary donations in lieu of mandatory taxation. As a result, the central government found itself in financial disarray as a result of its necessity to create currency without stable financial backing. The Articles of Confederation required that the passing of a new law involve the approval of at least 9 of the 13 states and the establishment of an Amendment required the unanimous approval – this made legislation impossible.
Varying State Governmental Bodies

Without an ability to control, oversee, or regulate the actions of each individual State, the central government could only look on as each of the 13 states both managed and maintained their respective policies. The Articles of Confederation forbid the central government to exercise any control over the 13 states. As a result, each State was able to establish individual spending policies and trade regulation. In addition, each State was given the right to choose whether or not they wished to uphold certain laws. 
The Articles of Confederation also allowed each State to establish individual trade regulations and tariffs, which allowed for excessive and sometimes unfair commercial dealings. 
The establishment of a nationalized foreign policy became impossible because each of the 13 states maintained 13 different foreign policies, which affected not only diplomacy, but foreign relations, as well. The instability of the United States of America’s foreign policy coupled with a collapsing military service proved to be one of the many flaws in the Articles of Confederation, which were vocalized by the Federalists.

Understanding the Abortion Laws in Canada

Understanding the Abortion Laws in CanadaUntil the late 1960s, abortion was prohibited in Canada and it was considered to be a criminal offense. As a result, a woman was not ab

Until the late 1960s, abortion
was prohibited in Canada and was considered to be a criminal offense. As a
result, a woman was not able to obtain an abortion in Canada. However, the
Canadian Supreme Court overturned the legislation that outlawed abortion.

Currently, Canada maintains
very few abortion laws regulating the acquisition of abortions. As a result, a
woman is now able to obtain an abortion in Canada. Each province is responsible
for establishing regulations regarding abortion funding. Abortions are widely
funded through Medicare, though each province must determine how much it will
fund abortions.

These relatively nonrestrictive
abortion laws have caused extensive debate in Canada. Many individuals believe
that Canada should create more restrictive abortion laws and regulations. In
recent years, doctors who perform this procedure have been targeted by pro-life
advocates in sometimes violent attacks. 

Constitutional law contains
additional information regarding abortion and associated regulations. le to obtain an abortion in Canada. However, the Canadian Supreme Court overturned the legislation that outlawed abortion. Currently, Canada maintains very few abortion laws regulating the acquisition of abortions. As a result, a woman is now able to obtain an abortion in Canada. Each province is responsible for establishing regulations regarding abortion funding. Abortions are widely funded through Medicare, though each province must determine how much it will fund abortions. These relatively nonrestrictive abortion laws have caused extensive debate in Canada. Many individuals believe that Canada should create more restrictive abortion laws and regulations. In recent years, doctors who perform this procedure have been targeted by pro-life advocates, in sometimes violent attacks. 

Constitutional law contains additional information regarding abortion and associated regulations.

What to Know About Constitutional Laws

What to Know About Constitutional Laws

Constitutional law is the highest ruling law in the United States. Formally, Constitutional law is found in the U.S. Constitution, which outlines rights and rules which the people of the United States are afforded. Constitutional laws help to provide regulated power to different areas of Government in the United States to better support the American Public and protect them.
However, the administrative law of Constitutional laws is not considered static. Throughout the years Amendments have been made to the United States Constitution helping to change wording in the laws or to create new laws to better protect
the American Public.
Not only do Constitutional laws provide and protect the rights of individuals in the United States, but they help to regulate various areas of Government in the United States. This regulation of power helps to keep all areas of the Government equal and helps to guide a smoother functioning Government. For instance, one of the Amendments made to the U.S. Constitution was a capping on the salaries of Congress, ensuring that they could not have their wages raised any more than a certain limit. These types of Amendments are used to help keep the Government in an even organized status of power.
Constitutional law or administrative law was created to protect the American public and maintain order within the governmental structure. Constitutional law is a key factor in the success of the United States.

Function of a Constitution

Function of a Constitution

The function of a Constitution
is to provide for the governmental powers, the legal system, and the rights of
citizens in the nation. The modern model for the proper function of
constitutions is provided by the United States Constitution. Laws that are ultra vires, or
“beyond the powers,” may be found with officials given certain powers
under the Constitution but denied others, the latter of which they exercise.
Similarly, laws which are found to infringe on the rights of the citizens they
address will be declared null and void ab initio, or “from the beginning.”  

Quick Blurb About Constitutional Law

Quick Blurb About Constitutional Law

The general Constitutional laws of the United States were created early in the country's history in order to place the nation's Government on a centralized basis and protect the rights of its citizens. The legal doctrine of ultra vires, or "beyond the powers", holds that if a law that has been passed is found to improperly infringe on human rights, it can usually be struck down by being found unconstitutional. It will thus be made null and void ab initio, or "from the start," which means that the law's past use is retroactively made illegal. 

 

Know The Rule of Law

Know The Rule of Law

The rule of law is a basic concern in the creation of the Constitution. Constitutional law can only be fully and effectively implemented when the laws of a country or region as a whole are respected by the citizenry and the Government. When such a condition has come to pass, then it may be considered that the rule of law is present. Placing Constitutional law on a firm and decisive basis is generally a necessary step for assuring such a situation.
While the basic utility of the rule of law as a wise and needed principle is not often questioned, the vagueness of the basic definition affords for plenty of ambiguity. Various schools of thought in Constitutional law differ about when and where the rule of law can be located and how, failing such evidence, it should be created.
The basic understanding of rule of law, as can be found in arguments ranging from classical Greek philosophy to late 18th Century America, rests on the distinction drawn between it and the rule by law. The latter is commonly depicted as the prior state of human politics and administration by advocates for the former. Plato, for instance, wrote that the state should be the “slave” of the law.
In rule by law, legal statutes are understood as simply the devices of the ruler, who is free to alter their substance if necessary. For Constitutional law to function, by contrast, even the administrators of the law must be subject to its provisions.
Modern legal theory distinguishes between substantive, formal and functional approaches to defining the rule of law. A substantive reading of the rule of law makes judgments about the rightness of the rights it grants or takes away. Such a school can allow for it to be quickly determined, for instance, that a society does not truly allow Constitutional law to operate, but is in practice authoritarian or totalitarian, as was found in various governmental systems in the 20th Century.
Formal theory, as the name suggests, does not discriminate between various legal systems according to how palatable the observer finds them. Rather than examining the specific provisions of law, it examines the general ways in which those laws are implemented, looking for some basic qualities. Functional rule of law theory relies upon the traditional dichotomy between rule of and by law and finds the former to be present in societies in which government is heavily restricted by its own rules, which some societies may dislike as a cause of inefficiency.
The actual term “rule of law” and the modern theory surrounding it are attributed to A.V. Dicey, an English expert on Constitutional law. He formulated the theory for the purpose of describing how the British governmental system manifested this quality. According to Dicey, England had the basic qualities of a government which lacked the capability or tendency for “arbitrary power,” citizens who were equal “before the law,” and a constitution that had been created through “the ordinary law of the land”. More recent rule of law standards examine the extent to which citizens feel themselves to be safe and the trust they feel toward the Government.

Declaration of Independence – Implications and Image for the Constitution

Declaration of Independence - Implications and Image for the Constitution

Authored in 1776, the Declaration of Independence established the United States as a sovereign nation. The content of the Declaration of Independence outlined an ideal process of gubernatorial rule, contrasting that of the British monarchy under King George III. Thomas Jefferson, who is credited with primary authorship, attacked King George III within the text of the Declaration of Independence, claiming that the methodology of British monarchical rule abused and exploited its citizens. As a result of their new-found autonomy, the United States were free to rule themselves. 
The ratification of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 was a monumental event. By signing and approving a document that openly criticized the methods employed by their former ruler, the United States had taken the first steps towards establishing themselves as a viable, self-ruling nation. Prior to the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence would have been labeled as a treasonous doctrine. However, in the wake of his defeat, King George III was powerless to react to the criticisms listed in the Declaration of Independence. 
The implications of the Declaration of Independence were obvious. The United States were unwilling to recreate a tyrannical monarchical governmental model under which they would be ruled. Thomas Jefferson – with the help of Benjamin Franklin and John Adams – penned the Declaration of Independence with the hopes of instituting a democratic methodology by which a central government would operate. 
Though a majority of the citizens of the United States still harbored resentment towards to the British, the Declaration of Independence demanded the humane treatment of all residents of the United States. This included British Loyalists still living in the United States. Not only were all British prisoners required to be freed, but any property that was taken from British Loyalists in an unjust manner was ordered to be returned. By doing so, the authors of the Declaration of Independence set the groundwork for a new nation rooted in liberty and democracy. 
The Declaration of Independence set the stage for what would become the Constitution of the United States. By instituting a government whose role was to serve its citizens, the Declaration of Independence quelled any possibility of monarchy returning to the United States. The Declaration of Independence allowed its citizens ‘Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness’, and as a result, placed the citizens in a position of power. These irrevocable rights, over which the central government had no control, placed the citizens of the United States in a position of power over the central government.    
 
The Declaration of Independence forged the way for what we now know as democracy. Democratic governmental bodies are elected by the citizens they serve and are subject to removal in the event of any violation or threat of liberty. The Declaration of Independence states that the citizens of the United States allow themselves to be governed by an elected central government, a notion that contrasted their previous rule under King George III. 
By criticizing the methodology of the British monarchy, the authors of the Declaration of Independence paved the way for freedom of speech. Though such open criticism of a governmental body would have been considered treasonous prior to the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence aimed to provide the citizens of the United States with an abundance of freedoms.

The Basis of Constitutional Law Overview

The Basis of Constitutional Law Overview

The basis of American law and governance derives from the United States Constitution and the various Amendments made to it and judicial decisions made in relation to it. The Constitution places power in the two houses of Congress and the judicial and executive branches. Laws passed in the United States must be shown to fall within the limits and privileges described by the Constitution.
The Constitution places power with the aforementioned governmental bodies but does so with a view to benefiting the general mass of citizenry, and to this end understands governmental power as essentially deriving from the consent and “natural rights” of the governed as opposed to prior models which had flourished in Europe and elsewhere in which political power was understood in a strictly hierarchical sense, deriving originally from a supreme being and then flowing down to a monarch, who could thus dispense it to various supporters in order to exercise it over subjects. The natural rights idea helped orient the Constitution more toward the goodwill of its subjects and less to the maintenance of power for its own end.
The conception of natural rights in the Constitution was employed in part to fulfill a political project of guaranteeing the recently arrived communities of people in the Americas the ability to determine their own actions, but it came into use due to its prevalence in the era’s intellectual and political culture. It reflected the influence of scientific inquiry and global exploration on the European intellectual tradition, which had previously been dominated by classical philosophy and Christian theology.
Rather than simply asserting what would now be termed human rights, the Constitution proposed a specific idea about the early condition of the human race with its language of “natural rights.” The basic proposal offered by this concept is that human beings are naturally disposed toward specific kinds of behavior that in a “state of nature,” one without governance and other large institutions for ordering behavior, occur without restriction. A basic purpose of government, then, is to limit its effect on the citizenry it governs, while making provisions for the other forms of restrictions which other kinds of organizations may place on these innate and basic rights.
The procedural and ideological basis for the Constitution derived from disparate sources. The work of intellectual figures of the last few centuries, including the Englishman John Locke and the Frenchman Montesquieu, influenced the drafters both on the larger intellectual theories lying behind the Constitution and the specific procedural forms such ideas were placed in, such as the tripartite division of government functions. Some of the specific language on rights, though established as priorities by recent European intellectual trends, had been enjoyed in some form or another in the colonies’ former ruler of England since the Middle Ages or the Renaissance, such as due process.
The dependence of the Constitution on the approval of the thirteen states meant that their practical needs were also taken into consideration and their status as discrete entities respected in the legal language.

Knowing the Constitution Function

Knowing the Constitution Function

The place of the United States Constitution owes its existence in part to the precedent of previous forms of Constitutional law created throughout human history. In this sense, a constitution may be essentially considered a statement giving the basic shape of a political structure for organizing multiple numbers of people, as pertains to the powers it can exercise and those it cannot.
The constitution concept can be and has been used for different kinds of organizations, but the use most associated with the term is that comprising the overall political organization of a nation. Toward this end, a constitution will refer to both the abstract political principles cited as justifications for the exercise of power, as the United States Constitution refers to basic human liberties, and to specific procedures and forms for achieving these ideals.
The first constitution which can be understood as such is currently dated back to the year 2300 BCE based on evidence uncovered by an Iraqi archaeological dig. The first Roman constitution was created in 449 BCE, as the so-called Twelve Tables. It was only completely replaced many centuries later by the Code of Theodore in 438 BCE. In 621, the first constitution of Athens was created by a clerk named Draco, to be replaced in 594 by the less restrictive, or “draconian”, Solonian Constitution. In a further move toward liberalization of Athenian law, the ruler Cleisthenes had a new law created in 508 BCE inaugurating democracy.
After constitutions spread across the governments of Greek city-states in the next few centuries, the philosopher Aristotle addressed their use and theory in his writing. Following the collapse of Roman imperial power in Europe, many of the Romans’ former subjects created their own codes of law. In the Middle East, the Constitution of Medina was created in 1622 by the prophet Muhammad. An early Asian constitution was created in 1604 as the “Seventeen-article constitution” of Japan.
The first equivalent to the European conception of the constitution was implemented in North America, though not in written form, around the 11th and 12th centuries for the use of the Iroquois Nation. North America’s first “true” constitution in the sense of fully satisfying Europe’s requirements was implemented in 1639 as the Fundamental Orders of the Colony of Connecticut. The earliest constitution to satisfy modern understandings of the term was created but never implemented in the Agreements and Constitutions of Laws and Freedoms of the Zaporizian Host in 1710 for a small republic that never came to pass.
The oldest constitution which still exists today is the Leges Statutae Republicae Sancti Marini, created for San Marino in 1600. The rights expected to be secured by a modern constitution were created in part by the English Magna Carta, although, except for brief intervals, the country went without a formal constitution. The modern model for what a constitution should accomplish comes from the Constitution of the United States, which influenced many of the subsequent reforms and revolutions in Europe.
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