The establishment of the United States is a remarkable event for world history. In 1774, thirteen English colonies began military operations in the struggle for independence and reached their goal on July 4, 1776 (Bodenhamer 12). This is the date of the formation of the new sovereign state of the United States of America. Then, the United States Declaration of Independence was adopted; Britain stopped controlling its former colonies. On September 17, 1787, the US Constitution was adopted (Bodenhamer, p. 13). It is based on the principles of equality, independence, and democracy that have been key concepts for the US.
The Founding Fathers were suspicious of a strong central government because it could lead to the suppression of people’s rights and individual freedom. The colonies had been abusively controlled by Britain where a group of the elite had all the power (Bodenhamer, p. 12). Hence, the Founding Fathers wanted another order in the new country. They promoted liberty, independence, and equal rights for all citizens. That is why the US federal government was formed on the basis of republicanism and federalism.
A division of powers between the federal government that had limited powers over the whole country and state governments that regulated within their territories were introduced. Originally, the federal government had the powers of managing trade, declaring war, raising the army, and coining money (Bodenhamer, p. 14). The initial powers of state governments included prescribing policies on education, commerce, and other local issues (Bodenhamer, p. 14). Before the adoption of the Constitution, the government of the United States was weak and the majority of powers were granted to the states (Bodenhamer, p. 14). However, this scheme proved to be ineffective and the Constitution established a stronger federal government. Thus, the responsibilities of state regulatory bodies and the federal government were different; interference was prohibited. In conclusion, the Constitution of the US was created with the use of the principles of democracy and federalism to avoid the problems caused by a monarchial system.
Work Cited
Bodenhamer, David J. The US Constitution: A Very Short Introduction. Vol. 566. Oxford University Press, 2018.