While theories of the Enlightenment were gaining popularity worldwide, primary sources suggest that the United States constitution was based on Enlightenment ideas.3 According, to secondary sources “America’s Founders knew that it takes more than a perfect plan of government to preserve liberty”3, suggesting that America’s founders based the whole constitution on protecting liberty. However, the founders place more emphasis in protecting certain liberties than others. The Founders of America placed more emphasis on freedom of religion, protection against abusive authority, and the right to an elected government.3
Why was freedom of religion important to the founders of America?
For many years in Europe, religion remained connected to government; therefore, people were raised to unconditionally accept their religion beliefs.5 However, this created conflict later when the bible became available to anyone and people started to interpret the bible according to their understanding; this lead to the creation of various religions and religion wars. Imposing a religion after the reformation was almost impossible, since people were using their reasoning to interpret the bible. Voltaire, who provided the theory of toleration of religion, stressed that toleration of religion was important because we are “children of the same father and creatures of the same God”.5 According to Voltaire “religion was instituted to make us happy in this life and in the other” so not imposing a religion on people would make people happy because they could use has a religion whatever they want.5
The Essay on Moral Society God Religion People
Belief in a God is necessary for a moral society Religion in the world has always been considered a rather important aspect of society. Although this is true, there are still people that question the existence of God. A survey done among 1000 people showed that 65 percent of Americans believe that religion is losing its influence on American life (Sheler, 8). Even so, Belief in a God is necessary ...
The founding fathers knew that one single religion was impossible to imposed and wrong since, most of them came from Europe and were tired of having one religion be imposed on them.3 Therefore, they applied the theory of tolerance and realized that if The United States of America was to succeed it must tolerate religion just like George Washington stated, “ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience.”4 Therefore, the founding fathers of America knew that in order to keep peace in their country, toleration of religion was necessary. Although toleration of religion was extremely important the founding father also placed important attention to protection against an abusive authority.4
Why the founding fathers were concerned about protecting citizens from abusive authorities?
In ancient Europe citizens were not allowed to defend themselves, in other words, they had no rights. Laws were supposed to be an agreement between the community and government, however, when citizens were accused of a crime, they were tortured until they confessed the crime, if there was no crime they were let go, but unfortunately suffered unnecessary punishment.1 However, Cesare Beccaria, theorize an important theory, that “No man can be judged a criminal until he be found guilty”.1 This theory argued that authorities had no right in torturing a citizen whether innocent or guilty in order to get a confession. Beccaria argued that if citizen was guilty “he should only suffer the punishment ordained by the laws, and tortured becomes useless, as his confession is unnecessary”.1
Therefore, the founding fathers considered this theory as an extremely important right. The founding fathers realized that torturing a citizen based on an accusation was unfair and made sure that the right to a fair trial was included in the constitution. The constitution guarantees that a citizen will not be subjective to “cruel and unusual punishment”4 and will not be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law”.4 Moreover, the founding fathers knew that in order to consider America free the people must have the power to an elected government.4
The Essay on Founding Father Government Man Fathers
... Orders and the Virginia Bill of Rights were only partly democratically arranged for landowning citizens. During the French Revolution the founding fathers ... the people could insure no corruption within the government. The founding fathers' personal views as wealthy landowners on economic affairs, ... in the draft were those such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech and press, and protection from ...
Why the founding fathers gave the people the right to an elected government?
In order for government to exist a community is needed and in order for a community to exist a group of people must agree to protect their warfare based on mutual interest, therefore, the government must represent the interest of the community majority.2 If citizens do not elect their government, their interests would not be protected and they could be “subjected to the political power of another without his own consent”, 2 putting the citizens liberty in jeopardy. Therefore, the founding fathers knew that in order to preserve the country’s freedom the right to an elected government must be given to people.4 the founding fathers gave the citizens of the United States the right to elect their government by voting.4
The U.S constitution has proved to withstand time and up to today in the 20th century has proved to protect what is was made to protect, the freedom of the citizens of the United States of America including freedom of religion, protection against abusive government, and the right to an elective government.
Notes
1. Beccaria, Cesare. “Essays on Crimes and Punishments”. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/18beccaria.html (accessed 10 07, 2010).
2. Locke, John. “Of the Beginning of Political Societies.” Liberty on Line. http://libertyonline.hypermall.com/Locke/second/second-8.html (accessed 10 07, 2010).
3. W. David Stedman, La Vaughn G. Lewis, ed. “Our Ageless Constitution”. http://www.nccs.net/articles/index.html (accessed 10 07, 2010).
4. The Charters of Freedom. http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html (accessed 10 07, 2010).
5. Voltaire. “A Treatise on Toleration”. 1763. (accessed 10 07, 2010).
