The Constitution's framers sought to create a government that was strong enough to protect the country from foreign threats and ensure domestic tranquility, but that was also limited in its power so as to prevent tyranny.
To this end, the framers created a system of checks and balances among the three branches of government (executive, legislative, and judicial) and established a bill of rights to protect individual freedoms.
Some of the key principles that guided the framers in creating the Constitution included:
- Popular sovereignty**: The government derives its power from the consent of the governed, and the people are the ultimate source of authority.
- Limited government**: The government is limited in its power by the Constitution, which defines its powers and responsibilities.
- Separation of powers**: The three branches of government (executive, legislative, and judicial) are separate and independent from each other, and each has its own specific powers and responsibilities.
- Checks and balances**: Each branch of government has the ability to check and limit the power of the other branches, preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful.
- Federalism**: The government is divided between a central federal government and state governments, each with its own powers and responsibilities.