The Key Constitutional Concepts is a film that focuses the creation of the American Constitution during the historic Constitutional Convention (Key Constitutional Concepts). It has three segments that examine the creation of the American Constitution and two constitutional conflicts that were landmark cases of the Supreme Court. The cases include Youngstown V. Sawyer and Gideon V. Wainwright and Youngstown v. Sawyer.
Specifically, the first section of the three-part documentary examines the creation of American Constitution (Key Constitutional Concepts). In 1787, the Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall brought together the Founding Fathers who faced the daunting task of spearheading the creation of the constitution. They conducted the duty while facing the possibility that the country could fall apart due to diverse differences and interests. The film highlights the fact that the creation of the constitution and government involved numerous instances of bickering and compromise on the part of the Founding Fathers. Some of the issues that caused contention at that time still exist to date (Berkin 56).
Democracy and citizenship are the other key concepts highlighted in the film. The two concepts are concerned with the way citizens of the new American Federation would relate and interact with the system. For example, the Founders had to grapple with how the citizens of small and large states would have equal opportunities, in regards to engaging in the democratic processes (Berkin 67). Such concerns led to the negotiation of a bicameral congress that allows equal opportunities for both the large and small to participate in the country’s politics and establish policies. At the time of the Constitutional Convention, there were anti and pro-slavery states, which required representation (Berkin 23).
I found the film to be interesting and remarkable because the landmark Supreme Court cases, the Youngstown v. Sawyer and Gideon v. Wainwright, demonstrated the resilience of American Constitution. The Gideon v. Wainwright case is about an individual who is seeking the Supreme Court’s help based on the belief that his basic rights are widely denied (Key Constitutional Concepts). The way the cases evolve and illustrate the dilemma of a person’s explicit and implicit rights is thought-provoking. Furthermore, the case draws attention to the respective roles of both the state and federal governments in the protection and guaranteeing of rights. Conversely, the Youngstown Sheet & Tube & Co. v. Sawyer is a case about the limits of presidential power. In the case, the Supreme Court invalidates President Truman’s decision to seize a steel company (Key Constitutional Concepts). The seizure occurred at a time when the U.S. was in conflict with Korea to protect wartime production in the America’s steel industry. The Youngstown Sheet & Tube & Co. v. Sawyer is a separation-of-powers case that demonstrates the Supreme Court’s capability in dealing with politically charged constitutional issues (Berkin 29).
The film is relevant to the top covered in the sense that it highlights some of the primary concepts, such as checks and balances, which are crucial for the creation of a constitution. Furthermore, the film also underlines the importance of the separation of powers, which is an important element in creating a constitution (Berkin 56).
In sum, Key Constitutional Concepts examines issues regarding individual right protections by the U.S. Constitution and the checks and balances that limit of President’s power. From a modern perspective, the U.S. Constitution was far from being a perfect document at that time. For example, one may wonder why the Founding Fathers did not push for the immediate end of slavery. Indeed, it was not an easy exercise because some of the states may have pulled out of the system leading to the collapse of the entire constitutional construction process. One of the major flaws of the constitution that emerged from the Constitutional Convention was the ordered liberty that failed to reduce both the political and social pressures that would later plunge the nation into Civil War.
Works Cited
Berkin, Carol. Brilliant Solution: Inventing the American Constitution. New York: Harvest Books, 2003. Print.
Key Constitutional Concepts. Dir. Robe Imbriano. Sunnylands Seminars, 2006. DVD.
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