HIST 108 Cuyamaca College The Electoral College & The US Constitution Discussion

Discussion Board #3 – Questions on the American Revolution and Constitutional Era

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In Topics #4 and #5, we looked at the events of the American Revolution and the making of the U.S Constitution. These are crucial to understand how the birth of the United States occurred both militarily breaking away from the British Empire and establishing its constitutional republican government. For Discussion Board #3 about the American Revolution and Constitutional Era, write two (2) posts where you address any of the following three questions or reply to another student. Your two posts may be answering two of the three questions OR one post that answers one of the three questions and then a reply to another student. Therefore, after your initial post answering one of the three questions, you choose what you want for your second required post – answer to another question or reply to a student. Although you may write these posts with your own knowledge, your posts will be more enriching after watching the online lectures on the American Revolution and Constitutional Era.

Here are the questions you can address:

1. Provide your own explanation why the American patriots defeated the British imperial army. The online lectures covered reasons based on George Washington’s military strategy, both sides’ military advantages and disadvantages, and unfortunate circumstances for the British. By reinforcing these explanations from the online lectures or coming up with your own views, offer a well-thought out argument why you believe the Americans, pulling off one of the most unlikely victories in modern times, military defeated the British in the American Revolution.
2. In examining one of the key themes of American history, establishing an experimental modern republic, provide your own explanation why the U.S. Constitution, as the basis for American government, has endured for over 232 years. As explored in the online lectures covering the Constitutional Era, modern written constitutions are usually short-lived and are frequently scrapped for “new and improved” constitutions. What do you believe is the Constitution’s secret to longevity? Checks and balance system? Separation of powers? Principles of shared governance between national and state governments? The language and wording of the Constitution? Amendment process? Much of these suggestions are explored in the online lectures so you may build upon what you learned there or come up with your own ideas.
3. Within the last several years, nothing has gained more debate in our political discourse than the Electoral College. Knowing that the Founding Fathers deliberately created this system to elect the President of the United States, now debate centers upon if the Electoral College should continue in our current time. With impassioned arguments on both sides, many have cited reasons for it to be preserved while others want it abolished. Provide your own opinion on where you stand on the Electoral College – its preservation or eradication in our present time. Make sure you construct a carefully crafted argument for your view. If you need further information about the Electoral College or some guidance in the debate, you may read Keith Miller’s “16 Advantages and Disadvantages of the Electoral College” that is located in the Discussions module as a Word file.