The U.S. Constitution ratified on September 17, 1787, combined with subsequent amendments, is the country’s fundamental law governing the separation of state power and civil rights. Although the Constitution demonstrates an effective presentation of the law and a high commitment to justice, its ratification was complicated and involved many obstacles. In particular, the 1787 convention was represented by the thirteen former British colonies, which met to discuss changes to the Articles of Confederation, the then-current governing body of law (NCC). The plurality of representation from the colonies, including those with diametric views on some political, socioeconomic, and cultural issues, generated much discussion and debate about what the draft Constitution should be. The resolution of these contradictions necessitated compromises that laid the groundwork for the country’s key law.
The ratification of the Constitution in 1787 is associated with several contradictions between the founders. For example, one of the convention’s discussions was the question of the existence of a political checks and balances mechanism. The excessive power that could be vested in the federal government frightened delegates because it posed risks to municipal autonomy. The compromise to address this concern was to divide the unified state power into three branches so that each would have a limited set of functions and powers and could not have overarching authority. One of the critical subjects of the intense debate was the question of congressional representation. In particular, some of the former colonies pointed to the need to determine the size of representation based on population: larger states would get more votes in Congress. This outcome did not suit the smaller states and was an injustice. The compromise reached by the convention was to create a bicameral legislative Congress with a combination of both population-based and equality-based representation (NCC). Another compromise the delegates had to make for ratification was the definition of the national debt.
More specifically, the representatives of the northern states agreed with the necessity of introducing such an instrument as the national debt because they understood that it would stabilize the turbulent economy and create a reserve for unforeseen large national expenditures. On the other hand, the Southern states opposed such a solution because they felt that government debt would create pressure on the economic system. The compromise was for the federal government to assume the debt burden of the individual states, which ensured ratification support on their part.
A significant compromise during the convention was the so-called Compromise 3/5, which defined expanded opportunities for southern delegations. Specifically, Compromise 3/5 guaranteed that the Southern colonies could qualify for expanded representation in determining the population to include enslaved Blacks. Because they were counted in the census, the Southern states were more likely to have high representation, which ensured their support for ratification of the Constitution. Thus, the fundamental importance of the Compromise 3/5 was to gain broader support through measures that met individual needs. In addition, the move contributed to the development of the phenomenon of slavery in the U.S. and further elaborated the rejection of such an economic system.
The fundamental historical compromises consisted in determining the capital of the United States and the need for a Bill of Rights. Delegates from the northern states wanted the capital to be northern, and delegates from the southern colonies expressed opposing views. To resolve this issue, the convention reached a compromise that the capital should be located in neutral territories, so the District of Columbia was chosen. Regarding the Bill, controversy arose in determining its necessity because, on the one hand, it guaranteed civil rights, but on the other, it limited federal power in the country (NCC). The solution was to add the Bill as further amendments, allowing ratification of the initial draft Constitution.
To summarize, the ratification of the Constitution in 1787 involved much debate and discussion, stimulating the need to find compromises. The most key and historically significant compromises have been discussed in this paper. Their fundamentality lies in the differing views and consideration of needs that shaped the fundamental law of the United States for the following centuries. These compromises had lasting implications for the country’s political development as a guarantor of democracy and a society that recognizes diversity and pluralism.
Work Cited
NCC. “Ratification of the US Constitution” National Constitutional Center. 2022. Web.