What was the controversy over the Constitution?
Asked by: Eliza Bechtelar | Last update: May 14, 2025Score: 4.5/5 (56 votes)
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Why was the Constitution so controversial?
The original Constitution was controversial in part because there was no enumerated list of rights held by citizens. Some of the Founders felt that a listing would just encourage curtailment of any right not listed on the grounds that, ``well, it's not listed in the Constitution, so it must not exist''.
What is controversy in the Constitution?
U.S Constitution, Article III, section 2 , in setting out the powers of the Federal judiciary, grants federal courts the power to hear both certain “cases” and certain “controversies.” In framing judicial authority these words also represent limits.
What was the main argument against the Constitution?
Anti-Federalists argued that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, while taking too much power away from state and local governments. Many felt that the federal government would be too far removed to represent the average citizen.
What was the controversy at the Constitutional Convention?
A central issue at the Convention was whether the federal government or the states would have more power. Many delegates believed that the federal government should be able to overrule state laws, but others feared that a strong federal government would oppress their citizens.
Why wasn’t the Bill of Rights originally in the US Constitution? - James Coll
What were the debates over the Constitution?
The major debates were over representation in Congress, the powers of the president, how to elect the president (Electoral College), slave trade, and a bill of rights.
Where is slavery mentioned in the Constitution?
The “Fugitive Slave Clause” in Article IV, Section 2, Clause 2, provides that “no person held to service or labour in one state, under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labour, but shall be delivered up on claim of the ...
What were the 3 major issues at the Constitution?
Debates erupted over representation in Congress, over slavery, and over the new executive branch.
What was a major criticism of 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, ...
Why did he oppose the Constitution?
In the ratification debate, the Anti-Federalists opposed to the Constitution. They complained that the new system threatened liberties, and failed to protect individual rights.
What was the main issue of the Constitution?
A chief aim of the Constitution as drafted by the Convention was to create a government with enough power to act on a national level, but without so much power that fundamental rights would be at risk.
What is the most controversial amendment in the Constitution?
14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Civil Rights (1868)
What is the controversy?
Controversy is a lot of discussion and argument about something, often involving strong feelings of anger or disapproval. The proposed cuts have caused considerable controversy. Synonyms: argument, debate, row, discussion More Synonyms of controversy.
What was the Constitution's greatest flaw?
The Constitution's biggest flaw was in protecting the institution of slavery. Many constitutional provisions did this. Article 1, Section 9, prohibits Congress from banning the importation of slaves until 1808, and Article 5 prohibited this from being amended.
Why were slaves counted as 3/5 of a whole person?
Viewed the opposite way, by including three-fifths of slaves in the legislative apportionment (even though they had no voting rights), the Three-fifths Compromise provided additional representation in the House of Representatives of slave states compared to the free states, if representation had been considered based ...
Why didn't people like the Constitution?
In some sense, of course, the Constitution was always law-like. But originally, there were lots of Americans who pushed back against that idea that the Constitution was a legal text. They instead thought it was a “people's” text, not the special province of lawyers to interpret and enforce.
What were the 3 major reasons against the Constitution?
- the excessive power of the national government at the expense of the state government;
- the disguised monarchic powers of the president;
- apprehensions about a federal court system and its control over the states;
What was one of the major flaws of the Constitution?
It brilliantly articulated the idea of fundamental equality — human equality. It beautifully articulated the notion that government's power flows from the people, and that government serves the people. But it was fundamentally flawed in preserving and propping up slavery, that ultimate form of inequality.
What was the heaviest criticism of the proposed U.S. Constitution?
The federal Constitution was eventually approved by the states and went into effect in 1789. The absence of a Bill of Rights was the loudest and most effective criticism of it.
What was the biggest controversy at the Constitutional Convention?
1. Representation in Congress. Representation was one of the most contentious issues at the Constitutional Convention. Larger states favored representation based on population, believing it fairer that more populous states have greater influence.
Why was there no Bill of Rights in the Constitution?
James Madison and other supporters of the Constitution argued that a bill of rights wasn't necessary because - “the government can only exert the powers specified by the Constitution.” But they agreed to consider adding amendments when ratification was in danger in the key state of Massachusetts.
How did the Founding Fathers justify slavery?
The framers of the Constitution believed that concessions on slavery were the price for the support of southern delegates for a strong central government. They were convinced that if the Constitution restricted the slave trade, South Carolina and Georgia would refuse to join the Union.
What word doesn't appear in the Constitution?
Most people, including most Americans, would be surprised to learn that the word “democracy” does not appear in the Declaration of Independence (1776) or the Constitution of the United States of America (1789).
What did the Constitution say about black people?
From the nation's founding, African Americans regarded themselves as citizens. When the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1788, it did not restrict citizenship based on race. However, it only counted enslaved people as 3/5ths of a person, rather than as full citizens, in state populations.