Lessons we can learn from the framers of the Constitution

Today is Constitution Day, and I have been lucky enough to teach about the framers of this important document for almost 40 years. They are often either idolized for their wisdom or criticized for their hypocrisy. I view them as human beings who were not perfect but can provide us with powerful lessons to help us put our nation in a better position in 2024 and beyond.   

Focus on what is important 

It is easy to forget just how bad things were in our first years as a country. It is tempting to think of the glorious victory we had won against the British, to focus on those who led our country, and to assume that all was well. It was not.  

Our initial attempt to govern ourselves gave almost all power to the states, created a weak Congress, and omitted a presidency and federal courts. This resulted in economic catastrophe, intense confrontations between the monied and working classes, and a breakdown of the rule of law. 

The Constitution was an attempt to address these problems and to hold our nation together. It is viewed as a success in large part because the framers of the Constitution focused on the problems that threatened to destroy this country. They did not lose sight of what was important. We would do well to emulate the Framers’ desire to address problems.  

Resolve conflict with compromise 

Take a look at any American Government textbook and in the initial sections you will discover compromise after compromise at the Constitutional Convention.  

This is not to suggest that compromise brought about perfection. It did not. It did, however, help the Constitutional Convention move forward. These compromises held our nation together and kept us moving forward so that someday these issues could be addressed in a more satisfactory and complete manner.  

The framers were individuals of strong beliefs and intense commitment to those beliefs. However, they recognized that unyielding adherence to those ideals could be personally rewarding but detrimental to a nation that desperately needed compromise to continue to exist.  

Understand the corrupting influence of power 

The framers saw the consequences of placing too much power in a single source. The abuse of power demonstrated by King George not only led to revolution, but it also taught them that placing unchecked power in the hands of a single person was dangerous.  

Similarly, the first system of government in the United States, the Articles of Confederation, gave almost all power to the states. When the states exercised that power in a manner that focused on their own needs, with no consideration for the interests of other states and no regard for the nation, the country stood on the brink of tearing itself apart. 

The framers sought to prevent the consequences of concentrating power in the hands of a few by creating a system of separation of powers with each branch of government checking, and being checked by, the other branches of government. 

The framers were hardly perfect. As we have seen, they were capable of mistakes and failed to fully address issues. They sometimes provided answers to questions that produced even more problems. But they did not give up. They did not walk away from challenges. They did not avoid a problem because they disagreed with people on the other side of the aisle. They did not place short-term advantage over long-term principle. They never gave up on moving forward as a country.  

These lessons from the framers of the Constitution can help us to continue moving forward as a nation. 

To learn about The Missouri Bar’s citizenship education work and resources for teachers, visit MissouriLawyersHelp.org/Educational-Resources.