What if there was no constitution? Tyranny would rule this country which means complete power given to one group or one person. That’s why we have the Constitution. The framers of this country wrote the constitution in 1787, Philadelphia. The constitution is what protects this country from forming a tyranny by Federalism, Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, and BIg and Small States.
One of the four things that the Constitution has that protects us is Federalism. According to vocabulary.com, the definition of Federalism is, “A system of government in which entities such as states or provinces share power with a national government.” According to Document A, central and state government share the power of tax, borrowing money, setting up courts, making laws and enforce laws. Federalism provides double security which is against tyranny.
The second thing that the Constitution has that guards us against tyranny is separation of powers. The Constitution is made up of three branches, Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branch. Separation of powers is given to three branches of the government. This means that the whole power of the United States is given to these three great departments. The Legislative Branch makes laws, Executive enforces laws, and the Judicial branch interprets the laws. According to Document B, James Madison said, “Liberty requires that these three great departments of powers should be separate and distinct.” Separation of powers guarded against tyranny by not giving all the power into one person or one group. It’s divided into three groups.
Although it seems tyranny won’t form because of two thing the two things that the Constitution provided, the three branches could easily go against each other. That’s why the third thing that the Constitution has that guards us from tyranny is Checks and Balances. Checks and Balances is the idea that each branch controls each other. For example, According to Document A, The Court can declare presidential acts unconstitutional, the President can veto Congressional legislation, and the court can declare laws unconstitutional. So each of the Branches have power over each other. Checks and Balances prevents from tyranny by making it possible that each of the branches can control each other.
The fourth way the constitution protects us from tyranny is by representing the big states and the small states equally in the Legislative Branch. In Document D, James Madison says, “Representatives shall be apportioned according to population. In the legislative branch, there is a House of Representatives and the Senate. Also James Madison says, “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two senators from each state…” What this says is the amount of Representatives in the Legislative Branch is based on population and the amount of Senators in the Legislative Branch are all equal. What this does is give equality to big and small states. The fourth reason the Constitution protects the Unites States from forming a tyranny by giving equality to big and small states in the Legislative Branch.
We are all lucky to have the Supreme Law of the Land protect us from tyranny. The Constitution protects against tyranny by having Federalism, Separation of Powers, Checks & Balances, and last but not least, by giving equality to big and small states in the Legislative Branch.