The Founders Gave Us a System to Protect Liberty. Thus, the Electoral College was formed. Answer (1 of 33): Putting it bluntly, many of the founding fathers were unsure a republican form of democracy would succeed and instead, it would fall flat on its rump! a. The short answer is the founding fathers (aka the framers of the Constitution.) First, the United States was not founded on a common ethnicity, language, or religion that could be taken for granted as the primal source of national identity. The Electoral College - Origin and History - Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S Get HISTORYs most fascinating stories delivered to your inbox three times a week. Which is why a democracy won't cut it. While this enormous avalanche of historical evidence bodes well for a more nuanced and sophisticated interpretation of the founding generation, the debate is likely to retain a special edge for most Americans. In the beginning of the American Revolution, Franklin was appointed to the five-member committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence. b. Why Did The Founding Fathers Abolish The Electoral College? Will AMUs Investigative Team Take on the Unsolved Murder of Linda Malcom? Significantly, the creation of the Electoral College was not thought to be perfect by any means, but it satisfied the opposing camps (one argued that Congress should pick the president, while another insisted on the popular vote). How Prepared Are Your Fire Departments for a Cyberattack? 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The creation of the Electoral College was essentially a compromise reached between the Founding Fathers who had debated for a long time about the correct and democratic way for the nation to elect a president every four years and avoid despotism at all costs. Articles with the HISTORY.com Editors byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan, Matt Mullen and Christian Zapata. By the election of 1800, political parties had arisen. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The first purpose was to create a buffer between population and the selection of a President. The Founding Fathers These military leaders, rebels, politicians and writers varied in personality, status and background, but all played a part in forming a new nation and hammering out the . Congratulations, 2023 Staff and Faculty Award Winners! The first purpose was to create a buffer between the population and the selection of a President. But they revolted against the restrictive rule of King George IIIoutlining their grievances in the Declaration of Independence, a powerful (albeit incomplete) call for freedom and equalityand won a stunning military victory over what was then the worlds preeminent superpower. The extent of the Country renders it impossible that the people can have the requisite capacity to judge of the respective pretensions of the Candidates., The delegates appointed a committee of 11 members one from each state at the Constitutional Convention to solve this and other knotty problems, which they called the Grand Committee on Postponed Questions, and charged with resolving unfinished business, including how to elect the President.. That president, John Adams, a . So - what does Electoral College actually do to protect our constitutional republic? With Their Invasion of Ukraine Is Russias Future On The Line? The Founding Fathers created the Electoral College because they didn't trust ordinary citizens to be informed enough to adequately pick the president. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Second, the American system of jurisprudence links all landmark constitutional decisions to the language of the Constitution itself and often to the original intent of the framers. 3. Constitutional Republic or Democracy? Founders Knew the Difference Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. It may not be a surprise, but Robert Schlesinger, Managing Editor for Opinion at US News & World Report, noted that the Founding Fathers were also deeply divided on who should have a say in running the country. You canread my articleon that topic - on how to think through those hard decisions. For the results of U.S. presidential elections, see the table. The Electoral College was established by the Founding Fathers of the United States at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in order ensure there was representation of the people while keeping the best interests of the nation in mind ("What is the Electoral College?"). Thankfully, corrupt people did not think the margins would be that close there as it was only a 537-vote victory out of 6 million votes cast for President Bush. Find out more about Ross and her views on the electoral college here. Why did the Founding Fathers choose the electoral college for electing presidents? Two maps of the states clearly show which states are pushing voter suppression and which are expanding their citizens ability to vote. Just like Franklin, he served on the committee that wrote the Declaration of Independence, journeyed overseas to secure French military aid and helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris. Between Aug. 31 and Sept. 4, 1787, the committee wrestled with producing an acceptable compromise. But others, including Alexander Hamilton, worried that states would select a weak executive, to increase their own power. When was the Electoral College formed? What might look like a solid blue state like Texas before 1998 is now a solid red state. The founders were trying to solve a serious problem with this system. Washington then returned to Virginia intent on resuming his career as a farmer. Electoral college | Definition, Map, History, Votes, & Facts The Brennan Center reported 28 bills have already been signed into law in 14 states with some 115 moving through the process in 25 states. Sign up for The Conversations newsletter.]. The death of Socrates is a tragic example of what can happen when the wrong people vote. The Electoral College was created for two reasons. To gain understanding and education on the Electoral College, please grabWhyWe Need the Electoral College by Tara Ross one of the leading national experts on the topic. National Constitution Center. But if we want the fly over states to have a voice then this system is extremely important to preserve. Once again, this legal tradition gives the American Founders an abiding relevance in current discussions of foreign and domestic policy that would be inconceivable in most European countries. If we want Portland and New York values to rule our nation -then please get rid of the Electoral College! They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Electoral College is unfair in several ways. Yet, as seen in the 2016 Presidential Election, the Electoral College is a significant dimension of U.S. democracy, and understanding why the Founding Fathers created the system is important in understanding the entire process. ch7 quiz Flashcards | Quizlet One can look at the history of voting to see a great disparity in what states allowed and how it took constitutional amendments to give women and people of color voting rights. Purdue University provides funding as a member of The Conversation US. Please fill in a valid value for all required fields. The important reasons why the Founding Fathers established the Electoral College should not be overlooked, just because we have a lack of understanding concerning the system as Americans. She argues in her writings and public addresses that the Founding Fathers were quite intentional in rejecting a direct electoral process. Socrates and Plato hated democracy, but no rational person would want to live in Platos Republic with its severe censorship and divisions into a clear caste system. Presidential speaker podium for Barack Obama at early vote for change rally October 29, 2008, at Halifax Mall Government Complex in Raleigh, N.C. What exactly is the electoral college and why did the Founding Fathers embrace it instead of creating a direct presidential voting process? [Deep knowledge, daily. While the state only has one representative, it still walks away with the three electoral college votes. Why is it a better system than a straight majority vote? Ignorance on an issue does not mean abolish it, but so many times our lack of education colors our viewpoints. Historian James MacGregor Burns describes the U.S. in 1787, at the time of the drafting of the Constitution, as an experiment . As secretary of state under Washington, Jefferson clashed constantly with Alexander Hamilton over foreign policy and the role of government. Establish Democracy Having just been freed from Great Britains rule, the founding fathers wanted to establish democracy as the core value of America. The Electoral College was believed to bypass possible corruption of the voting processes established by the states. Two things are known for certain following the 2020 presidential election. 10 that he supported it to protect against an overbearing majority and the threat of factions on our fragile republic. Mitigating the Threat of Domestic Terrorism and Extremism, Why Social Media Is So Appealing to Terrorist Organizations, The Islamic State and Examining the Spectrum of Conflict, Linda Malcoms Case Heats Up: More Investigators & Evidence Testing, National Police Week: Honoring the Work of Police Officers, Fighting for the Victims of Unsolved Crimes with Bill Thomas. Hamilton also observed that legislators are often slower to move than top leaders might be expected to: In the legislature, promptitude of decision is oftener an evil than a benefit.. Instead, it was founded on a set of beliefs and convictions, what Thomas Jefferson described as self-evident truths, that were proclaimed in 1776 and then embedded in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution. "The Founding Fathers and the Electoral College" with Tara Ross Why did they create the Electoral College? - Wise-Answer Where Chicago and New York are hotbeds for fraud and ballot harvesting and the rest of the country looks on in unbelief? Every freedom loving American who wants liberty to reign, who wants every voter to be valued, and who understands the importance of power to keep checked should appreciate and support the Electoral College system. Some delegates at the Constitutional Convention thought that letting Congress pick the president would provide a buffer from what Thomas Jefferson referred to as the well-meaning, but uninformed people who, in a nation the size of the United States, could have no knowledge of eminent characters and qualifications and the actual selection decision.. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Who Invented the Electoral College? - ThoughtCo Pursuant to a license, APEI may use APUSs trademarks and other intellectual property in its performance of those services. They wanted to avoid at all costs or at any time in our future - a majority mob take over. You may withdraw your consent at any time. Many of the Founding Fathers were well schooled in ancient history and its lessons. Madison next co-authored the Federalist Papers and, as a U.S. congressman, became the driving force behind the Bill of Rights. Protecting self-governance from the potential of majority tyranny was one of the highest deliberations of the founders. Theres no official consensus on who should be considered a Founding Father, and some historians object to the term altogether. Three approaches were debated during the Constitutional Convention: election by Congress, selection by state legislatures and a popular election though the right to vote was generally restricted to white, landowning men. Official U.S. literature on the system reads: Each state elects the number of representatives to the Electoral College that is equal to its number of Senatorstwo from each stateplus its number of delegates in the House of Representatives. A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar. The Electoral College was a compromise, not necessarily a permanent solution. As a result, the Founding Fathers label that originated in the 19th century as a quasi-religious and nearly reverential designation has become a more controversial term in the 21st. Human Trafficking: The Targets, Traffickers and Tactics. "We are sinful they knew that power corrupts. But the original system in which the winner of the Electoral College would become president and the runner-up became vice president fell apart almost immediately. However, the term "electoral college" does not appear in the Constitution. This struggle of democracy is not new. The electoral college is derived from this original conception of republicanism. He is aptly known as the Father of His Country.. "They knew that, in a pure democracy, 51 percent of the people can rule over 49 percent all the time without question, no matter how ridiculous their demands," she explained. National Archives.For Black Americans, Independence Day Is Complicated. Alexander Hamilton wrote, "If the manner of it be not perfect, it is at least excellent.". By continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our. While some states embraced true democracy, it took until 1964s Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act before actions like poll taxes and blatant acts of discrimination were outlawed. Once the Revolutionary War broke out in 1775, he was placed in charge of the Continental Army and soon suffered a near-disastrous defeat at the Battle of Brooklyn. The First Design . Ross recently released a kids book titled, "We Elect a President: The Story of Our Electoral College" a follow-up to her nonfiction book for adults titled, "Enlightened Democracy: The Case for the Electoral College.". A person elected by the voters in to represent them in making the decision of VP and President. He later served as vice president to John Adams prior to becoming president, himself, in 1801. These delegates did not believe the common people would have enough knowledge to make a . Its not as pithy as the musical, perhaps, but the point is clear: Dont trust the state legislatures. These three quotes from the Founding. Ross said that the Founders studied history and knew that democracies could have pitfalls, so she said, "they wanted to do something better.". In fact, this was the very last thing written into the final draft. This is another reason that the Electoral College is important to maintain. In addition, the president might feel indebted to Congress and yield some power back to the legislative branch. It was a compromise meant to strike a balance between those who wanted popular elections for president and those who wanted no public input. Steve has also served as a subject matter expert (SME) for courses in ancient philosophy, ethics, logic and several other areas. Advertisement Founding Fathers | List, Achievements, & Religion | Britannica After about 10 years of diplomatic service abroad, Adams returned home in 1788 and subsequently became vice president under Washington. Press Esc to cancel. Did Afghanistan Harbor al-Qaida Terrorist Ayman al-Zawahiri? 2020/10/06 To those unversed in the often baffling complexities of U.S. politics, the concept of the Electoral College is probably just as difficult to grasp as the role played by the group of men known as the Founding Fathers. But despite these concerns, Ross sees many benefits with the electoral college system, saying that it forces candidates to "build national coalitions" across state boundaries and that it makes it more difficult to steal elections. In fact, the Founders always intended that the statesnot the peopleselect the president. So, let's briefly explain: According to the U.S. government, the electoral college serves as a "compromise between election of the president by a vote in Congress and choice of the president by a popular vote of qualified citizens.".
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