Constitution Day—September 17, 2017

So what’s so special about September 17, 2017, and why should we care? On September 17, 2017, the United States Constitution will be 230 years old. Yes, on September 17, 1787, 39 brave men signed their name to the document, giving the new country a structure for operation. The roots of today’s government can be found in the Constitution’s provisions.

For example, the Constitution created the United States House and Senate. The founders of our country wanted to ensure all states had equal representation; hence, the structure of the two chambers—one based upon population and the other with equal representation for all states. Since the House would be the chamber of the people based upon population, all bills regarding the raising of revenue were required to begin in the House. The legislative process was created by the Constitution, including the President’s veto of legislation passed by both chambers.

The structure of the Electoral College was also outlined in the Constitution and provided for the election of the President and Vice-President through this system. These provisions are still used today. Our country’s founders also created a successor if the President was unable to serve—the Vice-President. The signers of the Constitution were very insightful and formulated a plan for the new country to thrive and survive.

We hear the term “Commander in Chief” applied to the President in regard to the military. That term also came from the Constitution and applies still today. However, the founders did not want any nobility in the new country and expressly stated that. They had dealt with nobility in England and didn’t want to do so again. The founders valued the rights of each individual and did not want to see them infringed.

These wise men also created post offices to facilitate communication among the citizens of the new government. Ex post facto laws were prohibited as the founders had seen the tyranny that can come from those provisions. The new government was given the duty and right to coin money and trade with other countries.

A Supreme Court was created to resolve differences between the states and to protect each individual’s rights. Provisions for extraditing a person charged with treason, a felony, or other crimes was also created. Ever wonder where the idea for the President’s State of the Union speech came from? You guessed it—the Constitution. The signers of the Constitution carefully considered how the new government should function and then worked towards ensuring those principles would be upheld. Their ideas are still found in today’s government.

So who were some of these thoughtful men? Some of the more famous names are George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison. However, 35 other men from various backgrounds also signed the Constitution. Among them were James Wilson, who was a very influential delegate and legal scholar. He was later appointed to the first United States Supreme Court by President Washington. John Langdon was a shipping merchant whose business had been hindered by the British shipping industry. He wanted to ensure fair trade and business opportunities for all. James Madison brought the concept of a three part federal government to the discussion regarding the new country’s organization. Despite their diverse backgrounds and ideas, these men shared one goal—to ensure the new country was independent and had a firm base upon which to grow.

So this year, when September 17 rolls around, consider the foresight of these founding fathers and the courage they displayed by signing the Constitution. Think about how their ideas continue to serve as a foundation of our government today. Honor them and the Constitution in some way because without them, and the document they created, the United States would not be the country it is today. 

Nancy Easum is legal counsel/ethics officer for the Illinois State Police. She has been employed by the Illinois State Police since 1999 and prior to that worked as Deputy Counsel in the Secretary of State’s Office. She currently serves as Secretary of the LRE Committee. The views and comments in the article are not those of the Illinois State Police.