Comparing the Constitutions of Massachusetts and Virginia (Coursework Sample)

Student Name:
Instructor:
Course:
Date:
Assignment 1
Compare the constitutions of Massachusetts and Virginia. Are they more similar or different? Explain.
The Constitution of Massachusetts is the fundamental document that governs the commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is often referred to as the oldest state constitution in continuous effect. The constitution consists of four significant parts which include a preamble, a declaration of rights, a description of the framework of government in six chapters and articles of amendment. Specifically, the preamble part identifies the constitution as a voluntary association of individuals originating in a social compact that protects both individual rights and the common good (Kettner & Ronald, 288).
On the other side, Virginia constitution is the significant document that governs the commonwealth of Virginia. The constitution sets the structure of the state government and limits its power. It also implements the fundamental rights of citizens of Virginia. The constitution is the supreme governing document of the state but may be superseded by the United States Constitution as well as the U.S. Federal law (Salmon & Edward, n.p).
Describe the general structure of the Massachusetts and Virginia governments as outlined by that state's constitution. In what ways did each state's government resemble the federal government that was later established under the U.S. Constitution? How did each state's government differ?
The constitution of Massachusetts was written by John Adams and ratified on 15th June 1780. This constitution serves as the model for the United States constitution that was drafted in 1787. The first section of Massachusetts Constitution illustrates the Massachusetts resident’s rights and the second section makes introduction to the three fundamental branches of the constitution which includes the Legislative power, the Executive power, and the Judicial power. In Massachusetts State, the governor is head of the executive branch and serves as chief administrative officer of the state and as commander-in-chief of the military force of Massachusetts. The governor’s responsibilities include annual budget preparation, nomination of the judicial officers, the pardons granting task, appointments of the heads of most primary state departments, and the acceptance of veto of each bill which the Legislature passes. In Massachusetts, the ‘Great and General Court’, which is the Massachusetts legislature, is the one responsible for making laws of the state and fundraising as well as contribution of money that is of significance to run the state government.
The government of Virginia State is composed of elected and appointed officials as well as the state employees. They seek input from citizens and strive for transparency as they work to carry out the fundamental goals that are implemented for the commonwealth by the council on future of the Virginia. Since its adoption, the Virginia constitution has experienced several amendments due to the economic, technological, political and legal developments in the commonwealth. In Virginia government, the governor possesses the authority of making several appointments, and the Virginia Supreme Court owns the authority of ruling on the constitutionality of a law (Virginia Code Commission, 122). The General Assembly is the core of the political power in the Virginia State despite most of the residents within the state could not mention their elected representative to the House of Delegates or the State Senate.
Works Cited
Kettner, James H., and Ronald M. Peters. 'The Massachusetts Constitution Of 1780: A Social Compact'. The New England Quarterly 52.2 (1979): 288. Web.
Salmon, Emily J, and Edward D. C Campbell. The Hornbook Of Virginia History. Richmond: Library of Virginia, 1994. Print.
Virginia Code Commission, Code of Virginia, 1950: Constitutions.(2008), Matthew Bender & Company. p. 122. Web.
Assignment 2
Assess the validity of the following statement: Most Americans of the 1780s wanted the kind of government provided by the Articles of Confederation, despite its weaknesses
In the 1780s, most of the Americans were afraid of their revolution that it could still fail if not grounded in a virtuous republican government, but ordinary folk, impacted by evangelicalism, expected God-given progress founded on ‘goodness and not wealth.’ They expected the revolution to bring them greater liberty, a voice in government and an end to special privilege. The Articles of Confederation did not provide the national government with the power of ruling over the State. Additionally, the government did not have power of enforcing the laws (Feinberg, n.p).
Was the nationalist movement for a stronger central government a reaction to excesses following the Revolution?
Most individuals insisted on the necessity for order as they were afraid of liberty that led to democratic excesses. Sorting out these conflicts brought about political debate for a generation. Despite there being less wrenching than the great social upheavals of modern times, the Revolution forced Americans to reevaluate the accepted social hierarchies and to make considerations on the role of equality in their society.
Madison proposed that a large republic would balance and check competing factions (interests) and thus permit able and virtuous men to attain power to govern for the common good. Has the system worked as he hoped? Use historical evidence to support your claim.
James Madison believed that the government’s job was to provide protection to the wealthy minority against the majority of individuals as well as ensuring that power remained concentrated in the oppressors’ hands. He had a lot of faith in the structural impediments of the system to prevent those that are not fit to serve from gaining power. However, his system worked but not satisfactory (Dahl, n.p). This is because there are few examples of less than virtuous men attaining power. Probably, Madison could not have foreseen the overwhelming influence that money had performed in every electoral process and this had made it somehow clear that people with less than virtuous intentions seek and gain public office.
Works Cited
Dahl, Robert A. 'James Madison: Republican Or Democrat?'. PPS 3.03 (2005): n. pag. Web.
Feinberg, B. The Articles Of Confederation. (2002)Twenty First Century Books. Web.
Assignment 3
Examine the candidate's political platform and the implications of his election
John Adams experienced a challenging reelection campaign in 1800. The Federalist Party was deeply split over his foreign policy. Most of the individuals opposed his decision of sending envoys to Paris in the year 1799, due to the reason that they were afraid that it would lead to national humiliation for the United States and others for the reason that they hoped to maintain Quasi-War crisis for partisan ends. Additionally to the 1800 election, Adams fired two of his cabinet members, Timothy Pickering and James McHenry, the secretary of state and the secretary of war respectively, for their failure of providing support to his foreign policy. Due to their discharge, there was alienation of several Federalists. The differences between the Federalists and the Republicans also had become white-hot ('A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election Of 1800, America's First Presidential Campaign', 45).
One of the greatest foes of Adams during the election was Alexander Hamilton, a member of his own party. In October, Hamilton published a pamphlet in which he made some arguments that Adams should not be reelected. The reason behind this, Hamilton explained that the president was emotionally unstable, given to impulsive and irrational decisions, having the inability to coexist with his closest advisers, and generally not fit to take presidency career. Due to that, Hamilton schemed to elect Pinckney. He did his best for the significance of persuading all the Federalist presidential electors from the North to vote for the two nominees of the party, Adams and Pinckney, as he attempted to convince some electors from south to withhold their vote for Adams. Due to that action, Pinckney had the ability of outpolling Adams.
It was a challenging aspect to gauge the public opinion in 1800. According to Pasley (2004), only five sates permitted the qualified voters to elect the Electoral College members. State legislatures made the choice in the remaining eleven states. Additionally, several states neglected the election of electors in districts and instituted a winner-take-all system. Virginia State adopted the at-large format, providing Jefferson with ability of wining all twenty-one votes from his home state. In addition, Adams was the first presidential candidate to be victimized by the infamous three-fifths compromise agreed to in the Constitutional Convention. The election of 1800 was the first to feature the Federalists and Republicans as two national political parties.
Federalists endured the angry Americans’ wrath who viewed the Federalists as power-hungry bureaucrats with anti-liberty agendas. They portrayed Jefferson as a godless extremist who would bring about destruction to the religion, bring about immorality to the society, and institute radical social reforms similar to those that prevails in France. Federalist Hamilton thought the country should be ruled by the best people, not by the masses as believed by the republicans. Hamilton worried that a complete democracy would let inexperienced, easy-to-influence commoners run the country. The Republican victory of 1800 was the beginning of the end of the Federalist Party. For more than a decade, Federalists had held ...