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    How Did The Constitution Guard Against Tyranny

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    Luke L. Ohanian
    The document discusses four ways that the US Constitution guards against tyranny: 1) Federalism divides power between state and federal governments to prevent either from becoming too powerful. 2) Separation of powers distributes authority among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches so that no one branch dominates. 3) Checks and balances allow each branch to limit the other branches' power through mechanisms like impeachment. 4) The bicameral legislature balances power between large and small states through equal representation in the Senate.

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    How Did The Constitution Guard Against Tyranny

    Uploaded by

    Luke L. Ohanian
    171 views3 pages
    The document discusses four ways that the US Constitution guards against tyranny: 1) Federalism divides power between state and federal governments to prevent either from becoming too powerful. 2) Separation of powers distributes authority among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches so that no one branch dominates. 3) Checks and balances allow each branch to limit the other branches' power through mechanisms like impeachment. 4) The bicameral legislature balances power between large and small states through equal representation in the Senate.

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    How Did the Constitution Guard Against Tyranny_ (1)

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    The document discusses four ways that the US Constitution guards against tyranny: 1) Federalism divides power between state and federal governments to prevent either from becoming too powerful. 2) Separation of powers distributes authority among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches so that no one branch dominates. 3) Checks and balances allow each branch to limit the other branches' power through mechanisms like impeachment. 4) The bicameral legislature balances power between large and small states through equal representation in the Senate.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    171 views3 pages

    How Did The Constitution Guard Against Tyranny

    Uploaded by

    Luke L. Ohanian
    The document discusses four ways that the US Constitution guards against tyranny: 1) Federalism divides power between state and federal governments to prevent either from becoming too powerful. 2) Separation of powers distributes authority among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches so that no one branch dominates. 3) Checks and balances allow each branch to limit the other branches' power through mechanisms like impeachment. 4) The bicameral legislature balances power between large and small states through equal representation in the Senate.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    The Constitution guards against tyranny through federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, and balancing power between large and small states.

    Federalism guards against tyranny by dividing power between state and federal governments to prevent either from gaining too much power.

    Separation of powers guards against tyranny by dividing government into legislative, executive and judicial branches that each act as checks on the other.

    Ohanian 1

    Luke Ohanian

    Mrs. Morris

    History Period 4

    25 February 2022

    How Did the Constitution Guard Against Tyranny?

    Tyranny is like hell. This relates to tyranny because they are both dark places where you

    get tortured. It is a dark place because tyranny can destroy a whole country. Due to the fact that

    the old Constitution had many flaws, the authors created a new Constitution. They wanted to

    create a strong central government without letting any one person or group be too powerful. The

    people's Constitution guards against tyranny in four main ways: Federalism, Separation of

    Powers, Checks and Balances, and finally, by balancing out power between small states and large

    states.

    Federalism is the first way the Constitution guards against tyranny. Federalist paper #51,

    James Madison states that “‘In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the

    people is first divided between two distinct governments [states and federal]...”’(Doc. A). This

    type of government guards against tyranny by preventing the central government from gaining

    too much power because it gives the states power, too. For example, the states are able to hold

    elections and establish schools, etc. The central government can declare war and print and coin

    money, etc. States have the power to control inside the states and the central government is in

    charge of anything internationally, such as national defense. In 1788, James Madison wrote

    Federalist paper #51 to persuade citizens to ratify the Constitution explaining ”Hence a double

    security arises to the rights of the people.”’ Having a double security government means the

    United States citizens by the states having certain power and the country has other power. A state
    Ohanian 2
    and federal government controlling each other prevents tyranny from happening. Although

    Federalism is one way to guard against tyranny, Separation of Powers is another way.

    Separation of Powers is the second way the Constitution guards against tyranny. James

    Madison wrote Federalist paper #47, “‘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 be justly pronounced the very definition of tyranny…”’(Doc B).

    All of the powers are divided into three branches, which means that each branch can control the

    other. For example, the Legislative branch can impeach the president(executive branch).

    Together the three branches powers consist of people who can control laws and protect citizens

    from tyranny. The three branches can each control each other at least one way. Document B

    states, “‘...Liberty requires that the three great departments of powers should be separate and

    distinct”’(Doc B). Basically, the Legislative Branch should be the opposite of the Executive or

    Judicial Branch. Each branch has a different job or role to play in this government to prevent

    tyranny. This may prevent tyranny because if one group or person controls a branch the other

    two can stop that branch. In conclusion, the separation of powers protects us from tyranny.

    Checks and balances are another way to guard against tyranny. In Federalist Paper #51,

    James Madison states, “‘...the constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a

    manner as that they may be a check on the other…[the three branches] should not be so far

    separated as to have no constitutional control over each other”’(Doc. C). This basically means

    other branches check on each other to make sure they have all the same amount of power. They

    check each other’s power by agreeing or disagreeing with other branches, the Legislative

    Branch(Congress) can check the Executive Branch(president) by impeaching the President and
    Ohanian 3
    removing him or her from office. The three branches can check each other at all times. One

    example that the Judicial branch controls the Legislative branch is “The court can declare laws

    unconstitutional”(Doc C). Basically, no one person or group can control the government even if

    they control one branch. By using checks and balances the Judicial branch can check the

    Legislative branch by declaring a law unconstitutional. Using checks and balances in the

    Constitution might help stop tyranny, states compromise is another.

    State compromise is another way to guard against tyranny. In the Constitution of the

    United States of America, 1787 it states “Representatives… shall be appointed…according

    to…[population]...The number of representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand.”

    For every thirty thousand people, one representative will be elected for that state. It guards

    against tyranny by allowing a fair ratio of representatives between states with small populations,

    as well as states with larger communities. Also, the Senate has a states compromise which means

    each will have two senators per state. Article 1, Section 3, Senate in the Constitution says “The

    Senate of the United States shall be composed of two senators from each state, chosen by the

    legislatures thereof for six years; and each senator shall have one vote”(Doc. D). Through the

    Senate, there is a balanced representation because each state gets 2 votes. This guards against

    tyranny by making every state have equal power. Small/large states compromise is the last way

    to guard against tyranny.

    Federalism, Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, Small/Large States Compromise

    are the four key ways that the Constitution protects its citizens from a tyrannical regime. History

    is filled with examples of people who rule with tyranny and ruin other people’s lives. The

    framers of the Constitution wanted to ensure happiness among the states and national

    government, ensuring the rights of a person and safeguarding the government.

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