What did the founding fathers say about the Constitution?
Asked by: Nia Olson DDS | Last update: February 19, 2026Score: 5/5 (49 votes)
The Founding Fathers viewed the Constitution as a necessary framework for a strong, balanced republic, designed to prevent tyranny through separation of powers and checks and balances, but they also recognized its imperfections, expecting future generations to adapt it as society evolved. Key figures like Madison emphasized controlling factions, while Franklin and Jefferson saw it as a living document needing amendments, acknowledging it was a compromise. They believed it required a moral and virtuous populace to succeed, with Washington stressing religion and morality as indispensable supports.
How did the Founding Fathers view the Constitution?
One of the U.S. Founding Fathers, Patrick Henry, was initially opposed to the very idea of the Constitution! He wanted to keep the Articles of Confederation, the predecessor to the Constitution. However, when an agreement was made to add a "bill of rights" to the Constitution, Henry fought hard for its ratification.
What did Ben Franklin say about the Constitution?
I confess that there are several parts of this constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them: For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information, or fuller consideration, to change opinions even on important subjects, which I ...
What did George Washington say about the Constitution?
The letter stated “the Constitution, which we now present, is the result of a spirit of amity and of that mutual deference and concession which the peculiarity of our political situation rendered indispensable.” With Washington supporting the Constitution, it was difficult for Antifederalists to explain why they ...
Which founding father argued against the Constitution?
Anti-federalists like Patrick Henry, Melancton Smith, and George Clinton argued that the national government proposed under the Constitution would be too powerful and would infringe on individual liberties.
The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism: Crash Course US History #8
What did the founding fathers say about Jews?
The Founding Fathers held diverse views on Jews, ranging from strong support for religious liberty (Washington, Adams, Hamilton) to deep theological criticisms (Jefferson), yet they established a government ensuring Jews full citizenship rights, with figures like Washington affirming "liberty of conscience" and Hamilton defending their civic status, while some others like Franklin and Rush showed both curiosity and bias, ultimately embedding religious freedom for Jews in the new nation's fabric.
Why did Thomas Jefferson not like the Constitution?
Jefferson recognized that a stronger federal government would make the country more secure economically and militarily, but he feared that a strong central government might become too powerful, restricting citizens' rights.
What did Abraham Lincoln say about the Constitution?
Throughout his career he spoke of the importance of the Constitution. “Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.” “[The prosperity of the United States] is not the result of accident.
Who disagreed with the Constitution?
The Anti-Federalists opposed the new Constitution. The Anti-Federalist camp included its own list of Founding-era heavyweights—including Virginia's George Mason, Patrick Henry, and Richard Henry Lee; Massachusetts's Samuel Adams, Elbridge Gerry, and Mercy Otis Warren; and New York's powerful Governor George Clinton.
What was George Washington's most famous quote?
“To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.”
What is the most famous line in the Constitution?
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of ...
Who first said time is money?
"Time is money" is an aphorism that is claimed to have originated in "Advice to a Young Tradesman", an essay by Benjamin Franklin that appeared in George Fisher's 1748 book, The American Instructor: or Young Man's Best Companion, in which Franklin wrote, "Remember that time is money."
What did Benjamin Franklin say at the end of the Constitutional Convention?
Benjamin Franklin's final speech in the Constitutional Convention, 17 September 1787. 'We have been long together. Every possible objection has been combated. With so many different and contending interests it is impossible that any one can obtain every object of their wishes.
Did the Founding Fathers use the Bible to create the Constitution?
The Founding Fathers didn't base the Constitution directly on the Bible but were significantly influenced by Christian principles and biblical concepts that shaped their understanding of morality, human nature (like sinfulness), and natural law, even while drawing more directly from English common law, Enlightenment thinkers, and historical republics. While the Constitution itself doesn't mention God or the Bible (except for dating), biblical ideas about justice, governance, and individual rights, filtered through Protestantism and Enlightenment thought, provided a moral and conceptual foundation, alongside secular sources.
What did our founding fathers say about democracy?
Remember Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes exhausts and murders itself. There never was a Democracy Yet, that did not commit suicide. It is in vain to Say that Democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious or less avaricious than Aristocracy or Monarchy.
Who actually hand wrote the US Constitution?
Jacob Shallus or Shalus (1750–April 18, 1796) was an American calligrapher who was the engrosser or penman of the original copy of the United States Constitution.
What was the strongest argument against the Constitution?
Five of their most significant objections to the Constitution are summarized in the excerpts that follow: that replacement of the Articles of Confederation was unnecessary; that the new government would give rise to a privileged aristocracy; that a stronger central government would obliterate the states; that a large, ...
What would happen if the Bill of Rights didn't exist?
Without the Bill of Rights, the U.S. would likely be a significantly less free nation, with the government holding vast power, citizens lacking fundamental protections like free speech, press, and fair trials, and facing potential abuses such as forced quartering of troops or secret arrests, leading to a dystopian society where individual liberties are suppressed and dissent is crushed. The Constitution would grant broad federal authority, making it difficult to challenge laws that infringe on personal freedoms, leaving Americans vulnerable to unchecked government control.
What did Jefferson say about the Constitution?
The earth belongs always to the living generation… Every constitution, then, and every law, naturally expires at the end of 19. years. If it be enforced longer, it is an act of force and not of right.
What was George Washington's view on the Constitution?
He stayed relatively quiet, allowing the delegates to debate the foundation of the Constitution amongst themselves. While Washington held the belief that America should have a strong central government and a single executive leader, he did not allow his bias to sway the other delegates.
What did John Adams say about our Constitution?
John Adams said, “Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Morality and virtue are the foundation of our republic and necessary for a society to be free.
What is the famous quote from the Constitution?
U.S. Constitution Quotes
- "The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny." – ...
- "If men were angels, no government would be necessary.
What is Thomas Jefferson's most famous quote?
Thomas Jefferson's most famous quote is often considered to be from the Declaration of Independence, particularly the preamble's "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," but another well-known quote inscribed on the Thomas Jefferson Memorial is, "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man" (from a letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush). Other popular ones include "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock," and "When angry, count ten before you speak; if very angry, an hundred".
What are the four unalienable Rights?
The four unalienable rights, as famously stated in the U.S. Declaration of Independence, are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, with the addition of the right to alter or abolish government when it becomes destructive of these ends, and are often linked to philosopher John Locke's concept of natural rights, including life, liberty, and property, as inherent and God-given.