The document I chose to write about is the United States Constitution. When the thirteen British colonies of North America declared their independence in 1776, they established that “governments are instituted among Men, who derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.” The “colonies” were to establish a government that would serve as a framework for the United States. The purpose of a written constitution is to more specifically define and then limit the powers of the government. After the Articles of Confederation failed in the 13 colonies, the United States Constitution was created in 1787. The Constitution is important because it was expressly designed to limit the powers in three coordinated branches, the legislative, executive, and judicial branches; none of which was to have supremacy over the others. This separation of powers with the checks and balances each branch was given over the others was designed to prevent any one branch from infringing on individual liberties protected by the Constitution. I think the United States Constitution was a way for the United States to establish a government that was a negotiation between the two previous governments, a monarchy and total state power. I think that by creating checks and balances, people's rights would be more secure and people would feel safer not having one branch of government with absolute power. What I found most interesting about the Constitution was how its framers made it complex and detailed, to effectively explain and limit individual branches of power in government. In the words of Thomas Paine, “government without a constitution is power without right.” This means that for power to be granted, a constitution must be established. Federalist Papers 10 and 51 were essays that helped persuade the citizens of the United States to vote for the federal Constitution. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay used pseudonyms as names to convince the public. Those who were skeptical about voting for one government, which had many different major powers, were reassured by the founding fathers in their speeches and conventions throughout the United States. The importance of the Constitution, both in its content and in its status, is little appreciated by the general public..