The constitution of the usa

The Constitution of the USA was adopted after the War of Independence on September 17, 1787. It lists the set of rules, laws and regulations which provide the practical norms regulating the work of the government. The document embodied the political theories of the Founding Fathers, who represented the interests of a privileged class, as the great majority of those who formulated the Constitution, were men of property. The main principle underlying the Constitution was as follows: private property is the backbone of liberty. It was put forward by a rich plantation owner from Virginia, James Madison, who is known to be the “Father of the Constitution” precisely for this reason.

The Constitution consists of the Preamble and seven articles. Twenty-seven amendments have so far been added to its original text. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were added in a group in 1791, as a result of growing popular demands. These amendments establish the individual rights and freedoms to all people of the States, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of worship, the right to peaceful assembly, etc. some of the amendments are now relatively unimportant, but the Fifth Amendment retains its significance in the fight of the American people for their civil rights. It provides that “no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law”, and no person “shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself’.

All the amendments adopted by the Congress become an integral part of the Constitution. Mention should be made of some of them. The Thirteenth amendment abolished slavery. The Fourteenth and Fifteenth adopted in 1868 and 1870 defined citizenship and gave the vote to all male citizens, regardless of race, colour or previous condition of servitude. The Nineteenth gave the vote to women, and was adopted in 1920. The Twenty-second amendment, adopted in 1951, makes it impossible for any President to hold office for more than two terms. The 26th amendment was adopted in 1971, it lowered the voting age to 18 years.

Americans feel that of all freedoms proclaimed in the Constitution there is only one freedom - freedom of enterprise.

Elections in the usa

Anyone who is an American citizen, at least 18 years of age, and is registered to vote may vote. Each state has the right to determine registration procedures. A number of civic groups, such as the League of Women Voters, are actively trying to get more people involved in the electoral process and have drives to register as many people as possible. Voter registration and voting among minorities has dramatically increased during the last twenty years, especially as a result of the Civil Rights Movement.

There is some concern, however, about the number of citizens who could vote in national elections but do not. In the national election of 1984, for instance, only 53.3 per cent of all those who have voted actually did. But then, Americans who want to vote must register, that is put down their names in register before the actual elections take place. There are 50 different registration laws in the US - one set for each state. In the South, voters often have to register not only locally but also at the country seat. In European countries, on the other hand, “permanent registration” of voters is most common. Of those voters in the United States who did register in the 1984 presidential elections, 73 per cent cast their ballots.

Another important factor is that there are many more elections in the US at the state and local levels than there are in most countries. If the number of those who vote in these elections (deciding, for example, if they should pay more taxes so a new main street bridge can be built) were included, the percentage in fact would not be that much different from other countries.

Certainly, Americans are much more interested in local politics than in those at the federal level. Many of the most important decisions, such as those concerning education, housing, taxes, and so on, are made close to home, in the state or county.

The national presidential elections really consist of two separate campaigns, one is for the nomination of candidates at national party conventions. The other is to win the actual election. The nominating race is a competition between members of the same party. They run in a succession of 4ate primaries and caucuses (which take place between March and June). They hope to gain a majority of delegate votes for their national party conventions (in July or August). The party convention then votes to select the party’s official candidate for the presidency. Then follow several months of presidential campaigns by the candidates.

In November of the election year (years divisible by four, e.g. 1988, 1992, 1996, etc.), the voters across the nation go to the polls. If the majority of the popular votes in a state go to the Presidential (and vice-presidential) candidate of one party, then that person is supposed to get all of that state’s “electoral votes”. These electoral votes are equal to the number of Senators and Representatives each state has in Congress. The candidate with the largest number of these electoral votes wins the election. Each state’s electoral votes are formally reported by the “Electoral College”. In January of the following year in a joint session of Congress, the new President and Vice-President are officially announced.