8.3.1

Analyze the principles and concepts codified in state constitutions between 1777 and 1781 that created the context out of which American political institutions and ideas developed.
             Principles, basic truths, laws or assumptions, are what drove the states to create constitutions to abide by and are also what made each of the constitutions unique, but similar in many ways as well.  Twelve states drafted constitutions between the years of 1777 and 1781.  They were: Delaware, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts.  Many of these constitutions included articles about the same things, like a bill of rights, a government divided into three branches, a court system with juries, and government where officials were elected by the people.  These shared ideas were a reflection of their principles.  The states mainly believed in the same principles such as a government run by the people so that power would be distributed and not put into the hands of one person, and that citizens should have certain rights that cannot be taken away.  Most of these principles spawned from the fact that the Americans had experienced first hand the tyranny in Britain and did not want the same to happen again.  It was these same principles that drove the colonies to succeed from Britain and create the United States of America.  American political institutions and ideas developed from these principles.  Our government today still is divided into three branches – the Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, and Judicial Branch so that the distribution of power would be preserved.  Officials are still elected by the people and over time, citizens were granted even more suffrage rights to further keep the people in control.  The idea of keeping power out of the hands of a single person and having a people-run nation were probably the strongest of principles of all and they have been reinforced and have not gotten any weaker through America’s history.  Most of these principles have survived since the birth of America and still remain in our constitutions today.


More Information:

   1.    http://www.thegreenpapers.com/slg/constitution.phtml?format=constitution
          Provides a list of dates for when each state made its constitution(s).

   2.    http://www.thegreenpapers.com/slg/links.phtml
          Lists links for all 50 state constitutions.


Recommended Books:

   1.    All Roads Lead to Philadelphia
          by Camille Leonhardt

   2.    Democracy in America
          by A. De Tocqueville