Basics of the Constitution

Values were part of the character and in the mind of each delegate to the Constitutional Convention.  Delegates brought their values with them, and those values became the source of great debates such as the power of the federal government compared to the power of individual states. Alexander Hamilton valued a strong central government while Thomas Jefferson valued that power be decentralized and that considerable power should reside with the individual states. Recognizing what values arise out of decisions people make in any historical time period is a critical component to the study of U.S. History.  Analyzing values from decisions people make in history helps us assess our own values.  When it comes to politics, our values represent a point of view, and, in most cases, that value is shared by other groups of people.