The answer to this question might be subjective to a certain degree, as the information provided from the debates for the writing of *the U.S. Constitution* was resolution-oriented. It was essential to determine how and what solutions were made by the delegates, not necessarily the atmosphere when the Convention was taking place. Another vital thing to remember is that the meetings were closed to the public and the press. However, we can conclude some things by observing the process and situations that led to the creation of the Constitution.

**The general atmosphere** during the Constitutional Convention was **competitive**. Different states differed in opinions, but each state pledged passionately about their principles and ways the states should function as a whole. The debates were said to be lively as the delegates of opposing stances clashed to prove their viewpoints. The problems touched on the Convention considered; large versus small states, regular people versus officials, federalism versus anti-federalism, and slavery versus freedom of all. **The picture portrays differences in opinion** because there are multiple separated groups of men discussing ( even the ones on the same side had differences about specific matters), separating the two main opposing sides: the Federalist and the Anti-Federalist.

In the end, the delegates reached a compromise as they were driven to strengthen the union, so it can be said there was a level of mutual tolerance and respect for differences between the delegates. The given painting portrays a group of well-dressed men discussing matters respectfully, which might have been the case to a certain degree in the final moments of the Convention. However, this is questionable since the delegates would sometimes walk out or threaten to walk out, and **the debates were intense** because of significant differences between states. On top of that, it is hard to believe that no delegate has not raised his voice or ranted in an agitated manner, and the picture does not portray that.

The summer during the Convention was said to be unbearably hot. Extreme weather only makes a debate even more displeasing. Apparently, the men attending the Convention did not take off their coats and closed windows and doors. However, the given painting does not show any indication of hot weather.

One of the delegates, *George Washington* or sometimes referred to as “the indispensable man,” was in a position of leadership and authority during the Convention. George Washington guided the proceedings and presided over the Convention to form the Articles of Confederation. He was elected to be the convention president, one of the few points everyone agreed on. **The artist of the painting depicted George Washington** as an individual standing in the middle of the room. He has pivotal body language with a bright shining head, and it seems as if he is trying to agree by talking to the man on the right-hand side.

The artist **shows bias** in the painting by portraying a transparent, calm engagement and classiness of respectable men. He perhaps wanted to **emphasize the newly formed American Constitution** and only denote **the formation’s success and positive side**. To conclude, the delegates came to an agreement whose outcome was the formation of one of the most potent political forces in the world. The author reasonably wanted the viewer to know this and not necessarily the struggle it took to achieve.

One of the major political theories in history that the English monarchy, the Egyptian, and the Mayan civilizations were based on was the divine rights of kings. **The divine right of kings theory suggests that god created an autonomic sovereign state to which only a divine few (royals) are destined and have the right to rule.** According to the theory, the people are supposed to follow the ruler like he is a god. The chosen ones had the right to exercise absolute power among the others. People who break the law and oppose the ruler are considered traitors and might face lethal consequences.

Through the middle ages, the English Crown was based on the divine right of kings theory. It had absolute power over its national territory and its colonies. **Before the Petition of Right, the monarch’s rule was absolute and exercised with no law restrictions or governmental protection of the people when they were suppressed.** The Petition of Right (passed on June 1628) is an English document created by the parliament that offers certain protections against the absolute rule. The English parliament forced Charles I to sign the petition by offering more tax money in return.

*The Petition of Rights* referred to everyone, including Charles I. Some of the principles from the petition were: no one can no longer imprison or punish people without the cause and approval of a lawful judgment, no one can impose a tax without parliament’s consent, military action, and imposition of force during times of peace was not allowed.

Many of the king’s actions required absolute force to achieve the political goals, and the petition restricted some of his powers, affecting his authority level. **The Petition of Right suggests that the law is above the monarchical rule because it limited its power.** The petition was beneficial for everyone because it was one of the stepping stones for humanity to have more natural rights.

The king with absolute power, unlike before, had to oblige by specific rules made for everyone, and this challenged the idea of the divine rights of kings. What solidified the movement of opposing an absolute ruler was that the official governments body conducted the petition.

**The divine right theory suggests that only royals chosen by god are destined and have the right to rule among the others in a sovereign state.** They have the full right to exert absolute force among others whenever and wherever because they are god’s representatives. People are supposed to oblige by their actions or are considered traitors, and any act of violation of the law or against their orders might face deadly consequences. This theory was the basis of the Egyptian and Mayan civilizations, rulers of Great Britain such as Charles I and King James I.

*The social contract theory* is a modern theory that is the basis of most modern states in the world. The word contract in the name suggests that **the state is created by the same people living in it as a contract between the government and the people.** Society lives in agreement to follow the rules from major consent that apply to everyone without exceptions and have been chosen by the people. In this way, free people in an agreement give the government the power to execute, legislate and bring lawful judgment. While the government gives sovereignty to the people, collects taxes to function, provides services and benefits, and protects its people. The social contract theory originated during the age of enlightenment and is of a moral and philosophical political nature. Her thesis is; **ones governed are the ones who rule.**

Inspired by the enlightened idea that all human beings are equal, **John Locke** opposed the idea of a ruler’s absolute rights. John Locke states that: **”government was created through the people’s consent to be ruled by the majority”**. Locke believed that everyone has the right to life, liberty, and property and that the fundamental human law of nature is the only way to preserve humanity. He believed there is a right to private property because everyone owns their bodies; therefore, people are entitled to all outcomes coming from their labor.

Founding documents and *the Declaration of independence* are based on theories ( for example, the idea of natural rights) coming from people like John Locke. Thus, Locke’s theory proves essential for forming a potent government such as the United States. Other noteworthy enlightenment thinkers whose ideas were implemented to the U.S. government include **Jean Rousseau, William Blackstone, Baron de Montesquieu**, etc.

T*he divine rights of kings* theory is opposite from *the social contract theory*. In the social contract, people make the government based on majority consent and therefore govern. While in the divine rights of kings, people are governed by a single ruler without any right to participate or influence his political actions. **The shift between the two given theories is more significant than just a political system of the state.** It has given people justified space for the essence of thinking for themself, which in the long run benefits everyone because people have more freedom to achieve their potential. This way of thinking is opposite from obliging and never questioning a single ruler. The most potent forces globally are based on this way of thinking.

There was series of conventions taking place before the development of *the U.S. government*. Significant individuals that contributed to the formation of a government are called the founding fathers. *The Constitution* of *the U.S. government* was created off of their actions and beliefs, so we can say they are beneficial for the freedoms that the government provides today. Some of the founding fathers are **John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, George Washington, and James Madison.**

**John Adams** was a versatile individual who served as a diplomat to end the war for independence. Adams had a **leading role in the American Revolution** and **served as the second U.S. president**. He has helped define many basic principles that created the U.S. Constitution. During his time as a president, he tried preserving good relations with Britain.

**John Jay** was an American diplomat and abolitionist who is considered to be one of the Founding Fathers. Like Adams, John Jay helped end the Revolutionary war by being **the key negotiator at the Treaty of Paris**. He also believed in a centralized government, so he contributed to writing the Federalist Papers to ratify the Constitution. Jay, at first, did not pledge for independence from Britain, perhaps because of successful commercial endeavors. However, when the revolution started, he supported it and is one of the primary authors of the Federalist Papers. Also, Jay had a pivotal role in establishing the Supreme Court.

John Jay was one of the American diplomats sent to France to end the war and achieve formal independence. He was credited with being the most important negotiator responsible for the end of the Revolutionary war. **Jay’s actions** contributed to **ending the tensions with Great Britain and promoting economic prosperity.** Considered to be a great negotiator and peacemaker and was devoted to American independence. Despite the war being finished, Jay believed in maintaining diplomatic relations with England. Both Jay and Adams were strong supporters of the idea of independence and were loyal to achieving it.

Before the ratification of the Constitution, there were differences between the state that had to be resolved through compromises. Some debates occurred during the conventions, **mostly about slavery, representation in congress, and the executive branch**. The main issue at the convention that separated the delegates on two sides (**the Federalists and anti-Federalists**) was whether the federal government or a single state would hold the most governmental power. One of the most important compromises between states were: **the Great Compromise, the Electoral College, and the Three-Fifths Compromise**.

States had a hard time agreeing on equal representation in the government so that larger states do not have too much power, and smaller states get neglected. The Great Compromise settled this problem. **The Great Compromise**, also known as the Connecticut Compromise (1787), **created a bicameral structure of the government, dividing it into two houses**: *the House of Representatives* and *the Senate*. The House of Representatives allowed representation of the states based on their population. The Senate allowed each of the states to have an equal number of representatives.

Another disagreement considered slavery and questions whether slaves are regarded as property or individuals. In other words, are they suppose to be counted as members of the population. Some delegates supported the freedom of slaves. **The Three-Fifths Compromise** settled an issue of how will slaves be counted in the state’s population for representation of the government by counting five slaves as three individuals.

**The main issue at the conventions regarded who would hold the most governmental power**; the states or the federal government. The federalists believed that the government should have more power than any state. The federal government idea was countered with an argument that in that way, the government’s power would be too great, which would have consequences of suppression and a tyrannical form of government. This issue was settled by appointing the federal government with specific responsibilities to the states while states delegate their functions.

Other unfair situations were happening in the states as they would tax goods from one another. Government officials like Washington promoted the free flow of buying and selling (no taxation), making the U.S. a more powerful force.

*The declaration of Independence* is based on articles that state principles and rules that formed **a “firm league of friendship”** between the states. The idea was to help other states **further develop the union**, which is more potent than individual states. This was possible because the government intended not to form a solid tyrannical centralized government but rather to create a union between the states. The states protect and help one other for the purpose of general prosperity and defense against enemies. States are based on the foundation of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence.

Many of the significant individuals were inspired by enlightened ideas and carried out specific roles that contributed to the shaping of the government. All individuals supported theories like **the natural right** and **the social contract** and used them to create *the Declaration of Independence*. Some significant individuals are **George Washington, John Jay, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison.** Usually, the people who led the Revolution against Britain and contributed to the government’s shaping can be referred to as the Founding Fathers, or we can say, significant individuals.

**Thomas Jefferson** was a delegate in the two Continental Congresses, **the third President**, and **the author of the Declaration of Independence**. The intellectual movement of the Enlightenment influenced Jefferson. To segregate only one individual who largely influenced Jefferson would have to be **John Locke**, whose idea he presented in his own words (“life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness”) to the treaties.

The Congress chose Jefferson as one of the delegates in the Continental Congress and writers of the Declaration because Jefferson was a **loyal patriot** (one of the first who wanted to cut ties with Britain), a persuasive writer, and a great **advocate of the American Independence**. Jefferson was driven with deep beliefs of independence and explained to the world through writing the reason for freedom.

**The Founding Fathers are individuals who are responsible for creating the U.S. Government.** The fathers, motivated by an idea of liberty, were driven, competent individuals generally inspired by the enlightenment ideas, and to name some of them: **George Washington, John Jay, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison.** Some of the achievements are winning a war against then probably the most potent force in the world (Britain) and creating the first large representative government globally that is one of the most powerful even today.

**Alexander Hamilton** was the right-hand man to probably the most important founding father of the U. S. George Washington. He was a strong supporter of centralizing the government and **wrote the Federalist Papers** to ratify the Constitution. Hamilton handled debts from the war with his financial plan and participated in **creating a national bank**.

**James Madison** was one of the delegates in the convention and contributed to forming the government’s fundamental principles (**created the bicameral legislature**). Inspired by Montesquieu, **Madison made checks and balances** to separate the government’s power while assuring no governmental branch gaining too much of it. Furthermore, he contributed to creating *the Bill of Rights* and was the fourth president of the United States. Some of his principles and theories are fundamental to the government we know today.

**Madison and Hamilton** were working in partnership collaborating to shape the new government; however, they did not continue to work after achieving the goal. Both **supported the idea of independence** (the new Constitution) and **wrote the Federalist Papers**. They helped each other fight for the new government, making the new self-governing government and ratifying it. So it can be said that this duo contributed to people having more liberty, rights, and equality.

Hamilton, unlike Madison, had no connection to any of the colonies or states, as he was born in the West Indies. Hamilton was a soldier who ranked as a lieutenant- colonel, while Madison was a political philosopher born in the nation’s territories.

While both men supported the idea of a strong centralized government, they had different viewpoints on how the government executes and uses its centralized role. **Madison believed it was right for people to participate and create a government based on popular consent, while Hamilton supported the idea of people having a more submissive role to the political elites.** Furthermore, Madison had a vision of an agricultural America, while Hamilton of an industrial one.

They differed on resolutions for the economic policies and the public debt. Precisely where the federal money and the government funding will reside, and how will the national debt be paid off. When Hamilton became the *Secretary of the Treasury*, he promoted financial policies that Madison disagreed with. **Madison teamed up with Jefferson to form the Democratic-Republican party as opposition to Hamilton**. The Southerners (Madison and Jefferson) blocked Hamilton’s program to pay off the national debt and strengthen the federal government. The national government decided that Hamilton can take over and pay the nation’s debt through his Hamiltonian program, while Madison and Jefferson attained the national capital at the southern side. The resolution between the two opposing sides (*Hamilton versus Madison and Jefferson*) was called **the Compromise of 1790**, which favored Hamilton.

**Legislative branch is a crucial part of the government’s structure**, it is what allows the government to create the laws and policies (sets federal courts and jurisdiction), administrates taxing and spending, controls interstate and foreign commerce, and can declare war. The laws are passed through documents of bills and resolutions. The government upholds the principles of the Constitution (it can amend the Constitution as well) through the legislative branch by creating and passing the laws that should be based on major consent.

**Its structure consists of the Congress that divides into the Senate and the House of Representatives**, and several bodies whose purpose is to assist services of the Congress. It has a **bicameral structure** (bicameral; two chambers) because the legislation **divides into two-house legislation system**. The purpose of the legislation divided into two houses is to have the fairest and most equal representation of all the states. All states have two seats in the Senate regardless of state’s size (provides equal presentation), while the House of Representatives is based on the population of the state (aims to achieve major consent of the people by focusing on the population of the state).

**The Framers choose bicameral structure** of government out of two main reasons: **equal representation of the states** for purpose of achieving matters based on major consent of the people. And, administrating and controlling possibilities of abuse of the legislative power by dividing it into two different bodies; “two different bodies of men who might watch and check each other”. The legislative power is divided into a system of bicameralism to further more **balance out governments power**, and control possible suppression of the system and society. We can refer to the bicameral structure as an internal branch check. Also, the Framers settled tension with bicameral governmental structure between the New Jersey and the Virginia plans.

**The government is based on a constitution that holds popular sovereignty, the rule of law, and the separation of government power.** All of the principles are upheld so that the government cannot attain too much power and suppress its citizens. Some powers of the government are “necessary and proper”. They need to be carried out for the system to function correctly and the citizens to be protected.

This is based on the philosophy that a government too powerful is unreasonable because it might abuse its roles, which goes against the idea of the government being governed by major consent. Through certain constitutional provisions, the government ensures that it runs smoothly and that the power resides in the people. **The principle of popular sovereignty states that the people give the government all its power that is used in consent with the people.** This principle is achieved through the representative electoral system of the government, where people choose their popular representatives, which will then act on major consent.

**The limited role of the government** is the other side of the coin of popular sovereignty, and the **people are the reason for the government’s power and authority** because they have given the authority to the government. The government ensures the people lead it by following the principle of constitutionalism. The government must act in line with the constitutional principles, which were made for the people. Furthermore, the government and its officials are subject to the law and can not be above it.

The government’s power was separated into **three branches** (legislative, judicial, and executive) with specific authorities and roles. The branch can check on the other branches to ensure there is no abuse of the power. The system of three branches implies **checks and balances**, where all branches can lawfully be subject to assessment by the other two branches.

**Popular sovereignty** is the **founding principle of the U.S.** because people elected representatives who would participate in the conventions to form the constitution in the eighteenth century.

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Amos Singletary’s point of view as an Anti-Federalist focused heavily on individual and states rights. He wanted to know what new protections from the government did the Constitution provide to the individual and the state? Singletary’s view, and that of the Anti-Federalists, was that without stated protections the same abuses of power that occurred under British rule would happen again. Jonathan Smith’s point of view, and that of the Federalists, was that Singletary’s fears were unfounded and there were protections in place to the check the power of the central government. The rights demanded by the Anti-Federalists were already in state constitutions. There was no need to reiterate those rights within the new Constitution. Federalists believed that a stronger national government was needed in order to run the newly independent country properly. The Anti-Federalists were wary of giving too much power to the new national government.

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The Federalist Papers were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the pseudonym Publius. The essays promoted the proposed Constitution and defended its principles from the Anti-Federalists. Three of these essays promote the benefits of a republican form of government.

Federalist Number 10 warns of the dangers of faction. It was written by James Madison and discusses how the root cause of faction; the urge of every man to argue for and promote his own interests; is impossible to avoid without severe restrictions on liberty. These restrictions would run counter to everything the colonists fought for in the Revolutionary War. Without an acceptable way to control the cause of faction, one must therefore control the impact of faction. Madison writes, “The inference to which are brought is, that the CAUSES of faction cannot be removed, and that relief is only to be sought in the means of controlling its EFFECTS.” ( Federalist Number 10) Madison saw a republican form of government as the cure to the effects of faction.

Federalist Number 39 was also written by James Madison, and further defends the newly designed government as a republic. Note, the term “republican” contained in these papers refers only to a form of government, and not to a political party. Madison defines a republic as, “a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people.” He examines the ways in which both the power of the individual and the power of the states are balanced with the national government.

For example, members of The House of Representatives are selected by the individual while members of The Senate are selected by the states. Federalist Number 39 seeks to demonstrate that proposed Constitution strikes a balance between what Madison describes as “ Wholly national or wholly federal.” What this means is that the powers of the central government are derived from individuals acting both independently, and in their capacity as a member of a state. When State Legislatures chose Senators, they were doing so based on power derived from the people of their state. Madison concludes with, “The proposed Constitution, therefore, is, in strictness, neither a national nor a federal Constitution, but a composition of both. In its foundation it is federal, not national; in the sources from which the ordinary powers of the government are drawn, it is partly federal and partly national.” (Federalist Number 39)

In Federalist Number 51 Madison presents the ideas of: 1) independent branches of government and 2) the concept of checks and balances. It is in this essay that Madison writes “If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.” (Federalist 51) Essentially, if everyone could be guaranteed to do the right thing we wouldn’t have to create this new government in the first place. How does one create a government which can control the worst impulses of men and therefore control itself? The answer is to divide up power and create a system in which each division of government can impose limits over the others.

In Federalist Number 10, Number 39, and Number 51 Madison seeks to convince his readers of the importance and benefits of a republican form of government. To show how the proposed Constitution both protects the rights of the individual, and ensures the ability to govern effectively.

The United States is based on the fundamental principles of the Declaration of Independence, which are **upheld through the government’s political actions**. Fundamental principles that the government is based on are:
*Everyone is equal and has to be treated the same way.
Everyone has unalienable rights.
The government’s power comes from the consent of the people.
The government protects everyone’s rights.
The people have the right to liberty, life, and the pursuit of happiness.
The people have the right to revolution against abusive government.*

The **government upholds the principles** stated in the Declaration **through its structure and execution of its role**. The government is based on the **separation of power** into three different branches that align with the system of checks and balances. Political actions are based on people’s general preferences (**popular sovereignty**) through the electoral system. The government also protects the citizens by **passing the laws** and with the **law enforcement** . People who break the law are responsible and will face consequences (**judicial review**). In the case of foreign enemies, the **military forces protect** all of the states. Furthermore, the governmental system **taxes** the people so that the money is used for everyone’s benefits by, for example, **providing services** of general interest and infrastructure.

**Unalienable rights** are defined as **something impossible to take away from someone**. That implies everyone is equal, and no one has the right to rule over someone without the consent. In a governmental “language” unalienable rights state that the government shall not abuse its power and that everyone should oblige by the law with no exceptions. 

The **Declaration of Independence outlines unalienable rights** through its statements: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”. It upholds that **everyone is equal**; therefore, has to be treated the same way. All people have the right to personal **liberty, life, and pursuance of their own interests** as long as it does not interfere with someone else’s freedoms. 

Unalienable right that is not stated in the Declaration can be when the government is based on major consent, and the people contribute to the system and carry out their obligations and duties for the government. It is an inalienable right that the government then protects its citizens from foreign enemies if it is capable of doing so. 

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The rights of the individual are protected in Limited Government because the powers of elected officials and offices are constrained by the law. The rights of the individual are also outlined and protected. Civil liberties are those protections and rights given to every citizen that protect them from government overreach. For example, if an elected official doesn’t like a journalist, he cannot simply throw that journalist in prison. The Bill of Rights contains Freedom of the Press. The ability of that government official to use the powers of his office are controlled by the U.S Constitution.

We can define public policies as the system of rules, actions, and regulations concerning the given topic or situation usually promoted by the government’s entities.

**Public policies can be affected in many ways**, such as the influence on citizens through the messages of the press, petitions, political communication between the representatives, public rallies, political campaigns, or formal essay writings of political experts as seen throughout the eighteenth century. **Public policies are usually affected by groups with the same or similar interests**. Policies can be persuaded; that is why it is so easy to influence them in the modern times of the internet; easily accessible information. Anyone can go on the internet to write a piece of opinion regarding some political matter and then post it on the internet. This can affect public policies even in that small degree of output.

During the ratification of the Constitution, two opposing sides, the **Federalists and anti-Federalists, tried persuading people** to do what they thought was fitting since the government was already based on the principle of major consent. The federalists had political, intellectual men who wrote **essays**, or we can say Federalist Papers, **explaining and defining the new government to gain major consent**. The essays were printed in the newspaper to persuade people to uplift the Constitution and the new proposed government. Anti-Federalists did the same thing, except focusing more on persuading people why the new proposed government will not function.

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One can rephrase the Mayflower Compact as,

All of us are loyal to King James and are forming this colony in both his honor and the glory of God. To further this goal we pledge to form one society. We will create laws and and choose officers in order to ensure peace, order, and the general good of the colony.

The Mayflower Compact demonstrates that early settlers knew it was important to create a system of laws and practices with the goal of forming one shared society. If no system of governance or laws existed, then there was no protection for the individual from violence or mistreatment of another. The Mayflower Compact states that laws are written and enforced for the general good of the colony. By all pledging to follow the prescribed code of conduct, there was a shared understanding that it would benefit all of the settlers.

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Britain taxed the colonists in order to pay its debts after the French and Indian War. Taxation without representation is the system in which citizens are taxed to fund a government in which they have no voice or vote. Colonists resisted British policies through boycotts, violence, and attempts to negotiate better treatment through writing to the King. One can argue that British taxes were reasonable since the war was nominally fought on the colonists’ behalf, and in their defense. The French and Indian War was fought in North America between the French and British over land. The counterargument returns to the idea of taxation without representation. Regardless of the location of the French and Indian War, the colonists had no voice in government and shouldn’t be taxed to support it.

English **common law is based on actions and traditions from before** and after the following similar circumstances. It is precedent; “Let the decision stand” until it and if it needs a possible readjustment.

The **common law can be a body of rules made by the judges and courts** while they issue proceedings to conclude verdicts for the cases. For example, common law is when the judge orders an individual to read the contract regarding it as his part of the duty. Or, when someone gets ten years for a crime, the person who does the same crime will probably get the same sentence as well.

**Constitutionalism is a concept that demands political order through the law and regulations**. It states the superiorness of the law and embodies the principles of democracy and limited government. It defines that the government has limited power but has all of the authority within its limitations. Its purpose is to keep the system in balance and check on politically eligible individuals, for example, governmental officials. Moreover, constitutionalism **embodies individual rights and liberties as its fundamental purpose**.

The **English bill of rights** reflects constitutionalism by stating that the laws executed need to be confirmed by the parliament’s consent and that the king is subject to the legal petition. This implies a **principle of constitutionalism that the government upholds its legitimate authority within its limitations**. The common law can take unwritten form, and this is the case with the given paragraph. The parliament’s statements regarding the given outlined rules are based on experience from before, making it an unwritten common law. For example, the given paragraph states that no money should be levied without the government’s (parliament’s) approval; that is most probably because that was the case in the past.

Cato was a supporter of anti-federalism, as the given paragraph suggests on its own. **Anti-Federalists feared that the federal government would become too powerful** and eventually abuse its power through the politically elected elites. This fear was probably coming from past experiences with Britain. The colonies were suppressed in a government with taxation without representation.

Therefore, **Cato believed** that the power laying in the hands of the executive branch of the government would abuse the system into **oppression of the smaller political elite groups and the president**. Cato states that the president’s length of the mandate is enough of a time when the government’s executive branch would turn into the interest of smaller political groups, who would then abuse the federal states.

Perhaps Cato did not know of or was not aware of the government proposals and the ideas for how the government would limit its role and create a controlled balance in the system with checks and balances.

The **government should have enough power to protect its citizens, ensure services and uphold the law to create order in the system**. It needs to be based on righteous principles, such as the ones stated in the founding documents. More importantly, the government should follow through with the principles and ensure they are upheld. Therefore, the government demands the power to assure everyone is treated equally by enforcing the laws based on major consent (**popular sovereignty**). This means that the governmental power should be based on the consent of the people. Popular sovereignty is achieved with the governmental electoral system, where people chose to which representatives they are giving power.

The reason for the concept of constitutionalism is to demand political order through the law and regulations so that the fundamental purposes of individual rights and liberties are sustained and supported. To achieve this the **government needs some powers that are “necessary and proper”**. The government, through constitutional provisions, ensures that it functions smoothly and that the power resides in the people.

The government should have the power the people have given it. With that being said, the government’s job is to exert authority with power but within its limitations so that it does not abuse the society. This is called the **limited role of the government**. It is secured with the specific governmental systems, such as dividing the power into three separate branches that function in accordance with the system of checks and balances. Furthermore, everything revolves around **the rule of law**, where everyone is subject to the law, including the government. This ensures the power is in the hands of the people because all will be held accountable for improper actions. **This is all in the purpose of giving enough power to the government so that the system can function effectively and that the society is not oppressed**.