Mohit Sharma 11/14/11 4th

How did the Constitution Guard Against Tyranny?

The constitution saved us from cruel tyrants that would've led our country to its own destruction and because of that we should be thankful upon how the constitution was made to prevent these acts. The constitution was written in May of 1787 in Pennsylvania, but originally it was to fix the articles of the confederation which was to weak and gave all the powers to the state. This type of government was so weak it didn't have an army, couldn't tax people, (etc)...... So which were the defenses that the constitution had that blocked the government from becoming a tyranny? A tyranny is an accumulation of power of one, few, or many. The constitution against tyranny in several ways which were federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, and big states vs. small states. The first guard against tyranny was federalism which means to separate the government into two state and national governments and those into three each called executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The executive branch enforces the law. The legislative branch makes the laws. The judicial branch interprets the law. The power surrendered by the people between two distinct governments, and the proportion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments(Doc A). This means the power the people gave up is divided into two governments and those two governments are divided into 3 branches and their jobs are completely different so they can stay out of

each others way. Hence a double security arises.......(Doc A) This means that the government was split into two which is the first security and then split into three hence there is a double security. A second guard against tyranny was separation of powers which means to separate the government into three branches. the accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judicial, in the same hand, whether one, few, or many and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly pronounced the vary definition of tyranny(Doc B). This means if all the powers are combined from the branches legislative, executive, and judicial to one, few, or many that might as well be the definition of tyranny. Liberty requires that all three great departments of power should be separate and distinct(Doc B). This means to have freedom all of the departments must be separate and to be unique. Separation of powers protects against tyranny because it keeps all of the jobs separate no one collides with another and keeps all jobs different, distinct, and unique. The third guard against tyranny was checks and balances which means the branches protect against each other from having to much power and not to be to far separated from each other. The constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner that they may be able to check upon each other. (Doc C) This means their overall goal was to divide the branches but in such an arrangement that the branches could check on each other. The three branches should not be so far separated.

(Doc C) This meant if they were to far they wouldn't be able to check upon each other so they couldn't be to far separated. Checks and balances protects against tyranny because it lets the branches check each other but also orderly brought them together. The fourth guard against tyranny was big states vs. small states which means that all the states were equal in the senates eyes but in the house they looked at your population. Representation shall be appointed according to population. (Doc D) This means the number of representatives is given by the states population. The senate....... composed of two senators from each state. (Doc D) This means the senate appoints two senators not based on population, but all are equal. Big states vs. small states protects against tyranny because in the senates eyes all states are equal, but in the house it is determined by the population of your state. In conclusion the guards federalism, separation of power, checks and balances, and big states vs. small states were in the constitution and those guarded against tyranny. If these guards were not written in the constitution we would currently not even be a country but more like a bunch of small states. That is how the constitution guarded against tyranny.