What is Significant About our Constitution and Bill of Rights?

What Is Significant About Our Constitution And Bill Of Rights?

OPINION PIECE by Chris LaFreniere

This is the question of the day, isn’t it? What makes our country’s Constitution and Bill of Rights so important? As we go about our day, likely filled with fireworks and burgers on a grill, we must remind ourselves of those who came before us and set the standard. Now with that said, all that’s necessary to understand what makes our country’s constitution so significant is to crack open a history book. History tells the story of once-great nations consumed by lust and some not-so-great. Lust of power, money, and control, among other things. So, what is it about our country’s inception that was so radically different from others?

There are multiple factors at play here. One is the concept of “checks and balances.”

Which is defined by “the Merriam-Webster Dictionary” as follows: “A system that allows each branch of a government to amend, override, or veto acts of another branch so as to prevent any one branch from exerting too much power or power beyond its authority.”

This is, as mentioned, especially important due to reasons of tyranny; too much power corrupts those in authority. What you end up with is a country ruled by a very small sect of people who would much rather put you away in a black site or simply kill you because of your disobedience, rather than give you the ability to have an opposing view. 

We simply cannot discuss our freedoms here in the United States without mentioning that other countries are usually of a communist/socialist nature. Here in America, the concept of checks and balances is like a revolving door; no one party has more or less control over the other, and they serve different purposes within our governing body.

Based on an article written by https://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/constitutional-law/checks-and-balances-system-of-government-constitutional-law-essay.php. Described as follows:

Bill of Rights

“The three branches of government are; The Legislative branch, The Executive branch, and The Judicial branch. The legislative branch is run by Congress, which includes the House of Representatives and the Senate. The main responsibility of the legislative branch is to make laws. The executive branch is run by the President of the United States. The president enforces laws and presents new ones, is in control of the Armed Forces, and has vetoing power. The judicial branch is run by the Supreme Court. The power the judicial branch has is to analyze the Constitution and reviewing laws.”

Despite our country’s perceived ills, it is still on top of perceived freedoms. For a snapshot into another aspect that distinguishes our country from others is the “Bill of Rights.” An important concept to understand about these rights, they’re not conditional or temporary. Every legal citizen of the United States of America is provided with these very same rights.  You may ask, what about illegal aliens who become pregnant? Those born in this country will be born citizens, automatically gaining these freedoms.

The Boston Massacre

Looking at some historical contexts for the article itself, it appears that not all the signatures on the actual “Declaration of Independence” were, in fact, signed on the day of July 4th, 1776.

Factually speaking, it’s documented that a smaller group of delegates signed the article on the 4th of July.

As opposed to what we’ve been led to believe in many history classes around the country.

This is a contrary piece of history: “The Declaration of Independence was the formal announcement of the separation of the colonies from Great Britain. New York was the only colony to abstain from the vote of Independence. In fact, not until August of 1776 did the Declaration of Independence have all 56 Signatures. ”https://en.as.com/latest_news/who-signed-the-declaration-of-independence-on-july-4th-1776-n/

There were actually 46 delegates who signed the document on the day of the 4th of July 1776.

When we take a step back and look at things on a grand scale, we are able to understand this viewpoint. “For many Americans, the Bill of Rights is considered an outline of the inalienable rights some consider God-given. These rights represent the life the colonists desired to give their posterity, which they felt had been violated by their previous government.”

We are indeed a free populace of individuals made up of a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities. Governed by freedoms that make individuals from all over the globe flock to our nation in search of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness!  

Chris is a freelance writer living in Maine.