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1、PoliticsintheUnitedStatesI.TheConstitutioni.BeginningoftheConstitution:TheFederalConstitutionoftheUnitedStates,wasadoptedandcameintoeffectin1789.Itwasawrittendocumentconsistingofapreamble,7articles,and31amendments.Itisthehighestlawofthenation.IllustrationConst
2、itutionalConventionof1787GeorgeWashingtonwasinstrumentalinbringingabouttheConstitutionalConventionof1787.ElectedasadelegatetotheconventionbytheVirginiaGeneralAssembly,Washingtonwaschosenitspresident.Inthatposition,heavoidedexpressinghispoliticalopinions.Sincei
3、twaslikelyhewouldbethenation’sfirstpresident,heunderstoodtheneedforhisimpartiality.IllustrationFirstpageoftheconstitutionTheConstitutionoftheUnitedStateshasbeenthesupremelawofthenationsince1788.DraftedattheConstitutionalConventioninPhiladelphia,itcallsforagove
4、rnmentoflimitedanddelegatedpowers.GeorgeWashingtonwaschosentoserveaspresidentoftheconventionbythe55delegates,whorepresented12states.ThedelegatesdraftedthedocumentandsentittotheCongressofConfederationforapproval.Itwasthensenttothestatesforratification.All13stat
5、eshadratifiedtheConstitutionbyMay29,1790.TheFirstU.S.Congressdrafted12amendments,fromwhichthestatesratified10.Those10amendmentsbecameknownastheBillofRights.Compare:IntheUKtheconstitutionisnotsetoutinasingledocument;insteaditisreflectedthefollowingthreekindsofl
6、aws.The1stoneisthestatuelaw,thatis,lawspassedbyParliament,suchasBillsofRightsin1689andActofSettlementin1701.The2ndoneisthecommonlaw,thatis,thelawswhichhavebeenestablishedthroughcommonpracticeinthecourts.The3rdoneisconventions,thatis,therulesandpracticeswhichdo
7、notexistlegally,butareregardedasvitaltotheworkingofgovernment.ii.FeaturesoftheConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesToimplementitsessentialdemocraticideals,theUnitedStateshasbuiltitsgovernmentonfourelements:(1)popularsovereignty,meaningthatthepeoplearetheultimatesource
8、ofthegovernment’sauthority;(2)representativegovernment;(3)6checksandbalances;and(4)federalism,anarrangementwherepowersaresharedbydifferentlevelsofgovernment.(i).PopularSovereigntyo
