There are many differences in their attitude towards religion in public life between european and US‐citizens and even though there is an agreement on the separation of church and state on both coasts of the Atlantic, the difference in how much of their own belief politicians are allowed to express when executing a public office seems to be as huge in scale like the water mass of the ocean between the two continents. No politician in the US could successfully run for a public office without at least some reference to God during his campaign and no european politician could achieve the same doing so. It’s not only the importance of civil religion in everyday’s life that draws a line of separation between Europe and the USA, there is also a great divide in how much of their own historical genesis is reflected among Europeans and Americans. For Americans, being true to the spirit and the intention of their “founding fathers” seems to be much more important than a European would agree to evaluate his or her being true to some spirit of the politicians that signed the “Contracts of Rome” in 1957 that created the beginning of today’s European Community they are living in.
The tremendous amount of discussion, negative and positive propaganda, political analysis and reservation among the people related to create a constitution (with or without any reference to God) for Europe too is only a small hint for how different and sensitive the public opinion is about being part of any legacy of foundation that was bequeathed by our ancestors in order to keep a dream alive they were fighting for long time ago. It is the constitution any new president of the United States has to swear an oath on the bible for and it might be an interesting task especially for an european citizen like me to take a closer look on this important document of US history, which is often referred to in many movies or television series (for instance “The West Wing”). After some historical background information about the United States of America I’ll present an overview of the Constitution itself and how it has been expanded by a total of 26 amendments so far. After this historical excursion, I’ll have a short look on how the new president of the United States Barack Obama thinks about the constitution and how important it has always been for him since his childhood. Finally, there will also be a brief analysis of his inaugural address given on January 20th.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 The Genesis Of The USA & The Constitution
2.1 From colonial times to independence
2.2 The articles of Confederation and the Constitution
2.3 The Constitution of The United States
2.3.1 Overview
2.3.2 The articles and their sections
2.3.3 Article I – The legislative branch
2.3.4 Article two – The executive branch
2.3.5 Article three – The judicial Branch
2.3.6 Article four – The States
2.3.7 Articles five, six and seven: amendments, debts, supremacy, oaths and ratification
2.4 The “Bill Of Rights” and other amendments to the constitution
3 Addressing „His“ Nation: Barack Obama’s Inaugural speech
4 „The Audacity Of Hope“: Barack Obama’s Thoughts On The Constitution
5 Summary
6 References
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the historical genesis of the United States Constitution and analyzes how it serves as a foundational document for the American presidency, specifically focusing on the inaugural address and political philosophy of Barack Obama.
- The historical development of the US Constitution from colonial times to independence.
- Detailed structural analysis of the articles of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
- Evaluation of Barack Obama's inaugural address in the context of American constitutional traditions.
- Synthesis of Obama's personal interpretation of the Constitution as expressed in "The Audacity of Hope".
- Comparison of the role of civil religion and founding documents in US political discourse.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3 The Constitution of The United States
The Constitution begins with a preamble: „We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide fort he common defence [sic!], promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings Of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution fort he United States of America.“
Right at the beginning the authors make clear, that there has already been some form of union before, but the union to be established by this new Constitution shall become a better one, a “more perfect” union. In some way, they admit that even this union might not be the perfect one, but it is intended to come closer to being perfect than its predecessor. A great vision is expressed here: justice for everyone, domestic tranquility (perhaps a reference to the uprising in Massachusetts), general welfare and liberty for those already living and all others still to be born.
After this short, but proud preamble, the main part of the text follows. It consists of seven articles dealing with the elements of the new union. Some articles are divided into further sections providing more detailed instructions on the structure of the government being built.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of the significance of the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence in American history and identity.
2 The Genesis Of The USA & The Constitution: This section details the historical timeline of the US, from colonial origins and the Articles of Confederation to the ratification and structural composition of the Constitution.
3 Addressing „His“ Nation: Barack Obama’s Inaugural speech: This chapter analyzes Barack Obama's 2009 inaugural address, highlighting its themes of hope and national challenges in the context of constitutional values.
4 „The Audacity Of Hope“: Barack Obama’s Thoughts On The Constitution: This chapter explores Obama's academic and personal perspective on the Constitution as presented in his book, focusing on his view of the document as a "road map."
5 Summary: This chapter concludes the paper by summarizing the role of the Constitution as a resilient framework for American democracy and political change.
Keywords
US Constitution, Barack Obama, Inaugural Address, Bill of Rights, American History, Founding Fathers, The Audacity of Hope, Executive Branch, Legislative Branch, Judicial Branch, Civil Religion, Democracy, Amendments, Sovereignty, Political Philosophy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the historical development of the US Constitution and connects these constitutional foundations to the political rhetoric and philosophy of Barack Obama.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The study covers American colonial history, the evolution of constitutional articles, the Bill of Rights, and modern interpretations of governance by political leaders.
What is the central research question?
The work investigates how the historical document of the US Constitution continues to shape the identity, oaths, and political actions of US presidents, specifically Obama.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses historical analysis, document review of the Constitution, and thematic textual analysis of Obama’s speeches and publications.
What is the content of the main chapters?
The main chapters systematically break down the history of the Constitution, explain its specific articles, and contrast these with Obama's inaugural address and book.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include US Constitution, Barack Obama, Inaugural Address, Bill of Rights, Founding Fathers, and constitutional evolution.
How does the paper relate the Constitution to the Presidency?
It examines the President's oath of office and how constitutional principles provide a "road map" for leaders when navigating national crises.
What specific document does the author analyze regarding Obama's thoughts?
The author specifically draws upon Obama's book "The Audacity of Hope" to understand his perspective on constitutional interpretation.
Does the paper consider the role of religion?
Yes, the paper touches upon the differences in civil religion between Europe and the US and notes the absence of explicitly religious mandates in the presidential oath.
- Quote paper
- Mag. Markus Löhnert (Author), 2009, Building a Nation: The US Constitution and the President's Oath of Office, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/134277
