45 pages • 1 hour read
Constitutional ConventionConstitution of United States of America
Nonfiction | Essay / Speech | Adult | Published in 1787A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Identify and explain three to four ambiguous passages in the Constitution. Why might the Framers have deliberately included these ambiguities?
The Constitution enshrines some protections for those accused of crimes. Why is it important for the Constitution to do so?
How does the Constitution approach the existence of Indigenous Americans, enslaved peoples, and indentured servants at the time of its writing? Provide examples from the text in support of your response.
Compare the Constitution to the earlier Articles of Confederation. How does the Constitution address the weaknesses of and build on the Articles?
How does the Constitution safeguard citizens’ rights? Who is excluded, and where do you find points that lack clarity?
How does the Constitution impact our everyday lives?
Describe the separation of powers, or checks and balances, in the Constitution? Why would the Framers have considered this system the most effective way to organize the federal government?
Who are “the people” of the Constitution’s Preamble, and how has that definition changed over the decades since its ratification?
Anti-Federalists were concerned about lack of protections for civil rights in the Constitution and were worried it allowed for the wealthy to politically dominate commoners. Were their fears valid, according to your reading of the text? Provide examples from the text in support of your response.
The first three articles of the Constitution identify and explain the separation of powers. Which of these powers is most important for guaranteeing a “more perfect Union,” as stated in the Preamble? Provide examples from the text in support of your position.
