The Framers Intent

The Constitution The author of a written work may intend a certain meaning at the time that work was created, but the interpretation of that meaning is colored by the circumstances, history, education, and intentions of those who would read that work. This is especially true of the Constitution of the United States of America. The U.S. Constitution was a collaborative effort of the great minds of the time, and its contents were debated by those who drafted it and those who voted on its ratification. The question of the framers' intent continues to be debated in modern political discourse, is evaluated and interpreted by jurists, and abused by those who would seek to use the contents of the Constitution to justify their own ends. Simply stated, the intentions of the framers of the Constitution were to provide a set of guidelines for the establishment of a central government that would be effective at providing stability while guarantying the autonomy of the states and the freedom of its citizens.

The Bill of Rights

The U.S. Constitution was a product of the times in which it was conceived, and in order to establish some idea of the intent, it is necessary to look at the context in which it was written. The rights of citizens as established in the Bill of Rights were meant to address specific grievances suffered under British rule and to prevent the same tyranny against the people by the newly formed American government.

The first 10 amendments to the Constitution contain the Bill of Rights. This establishes the basic rights of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to privacy, and criminal rights, the words are clear.

They ensure that the rights of citizens are protected from unreasonable intrusion by the government. They guaranty that citizens have the right to speak out against tyranny and injustice, to assemble peacefully, and to exercise their religion freely and according to their own conscience, without fear of persecution,