01x02 - The Birth of the Constitution

[bunniefuu]

Declaration of Independence,


become the United States.

But they were united in name only.

Actually, there were 13
independent republics,

bickering among themselves
over everything from taxes

to borders to water rights.

A meeting had been called in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

to try to solve these problems.

Twelve of the 13 states
sent representatives.

Eventually, 55 delegates
would participate.

By the start of the meeting,

only half of the delegates had arrived.

They came by water, by stagecoach,
and on horseback.

You better eat up.

You're going to have
to turn the spit today.

I know, I know.

All we do is work.

Eat up in a hurry so
you can do the turn spit.

Then we have to get to the meeting
hall to do some more work.

Come on, Charlie Brown.
We're late already.

We're supposed to clean
up the meeting hall,

and it's already after daybreak.
Come on!

I never have time to do anything.

All I ever do is work.

Sally! Sally!

Time to go to the
hall and clean it up.

When you get through,
come on over to the hall.

All right, everybody.

Here are our jobs for this convention.

Marcy and Peppermint Patty,

you're in charge of bringing
water to the delegates.

What kind of a job is that?

A very important one.

It's going to be
very hot in this hall.

Snoopy, you're to be the watchdog.

This is a secret convention,
not open to the public.

Only 55 delegates will be here.

Here, you should wear this armband.

Lucy, you're the mop girl.

The what?

You're to mop the floor before
and after the delegates leave.

Why can't I be the hostess?

I could greet the
delegates on their arrival.

You're the mop girl.

I can't stand it.

Sally, you're the inkwell lady.

Your job is to see that all
the inkwells are kept full.

Whatever you say, sweetie.

What about me, Linus?

What's my job?

You're the outside man.

Here's a broom.

Sweep up the grounds.

You can also be in
charge of valet parking.

Valet parking?

Hey, maybe I'll get some tips.

Here comes one now, Charlie Brown.

Here, lad. Watch my horse.

Who is he?

That's General Washington.

General George Washington.

He's going to preside
over the convention.

No, no, no, Snoopy.

He's all right. Let him in.

Snoopy, you stay on guard.

I'll be an usher.

That's my job, inside man.

Just what's this convention
all about, Linus?

Well, the way I understand it,

for the past ten years,

our country has been run under
the rules of something called

the Articles of Confederation.

But things haven't
worked out too well.

They haven't?

Some think the individual
states have too much power.

There's no strong central government.

That's why all these
men are here, isn't it?

Each state has sent a few
men to represent them.

Some want a strong
government and some don't.

Some want larger
states to be in control.

Others think all states should have
an equal say in any new government.

It sure sounds complicated to me.

I just hope it all works out.

If it doesn't, there's no
telling what will happen to us.

We shall now open discussion
on that clause in the Virginia Plan

that calls for the members of
the House of Representatives

to be elected directly by the people.

Mr. Sherman.

Gentlemen, we strongly
oppose the suggestion

that the House of Representatives
be elected by the people.

The people should have as little to
do as possible with the government.

We strongly urge that the
House of Representatives

be elected by the state legislature.

Mr. Gary.

We strongly agree with the gentlemen.

The evils we experience today flow
from the excesses of democracy.

The people are dupes
of pretended patriots.

Mr. Mason.

Ah, yes.

Well, my distinguished fellows,

we must respectfully disagree
with the honorable gentlemen.

The election of the larger
branch must be by the people.

It will become the grand depository

of the democratic principle
of the government.

We must attend to the rights
of every class of people.

Mr. Madison.

Gentlemen, I consider
the popular election

of one branch of our
national legislature

as essential to every
plan of free government.

The great fabric to be raised here

will be more stable
and more durable

if it should rest on the solid
foundation of the people themselves

than if it should stand merely on
the pillars of the legislatures.

Toss that ball to me, Lucy.

I bet hitting a ball with a stick
would make a great game.

Great! I'll run to that tree and
back before you can get the ball.

If you touch me with the ball
or touch the place where I was,

I lose my turn.

Isn't this a great game?

That's the dumbest idea
for a game I've ever heard.

Hey, they're empty!

Come on, it's hot in there.

Pass the water around.

Hurry it up!

They're thirsty in there.

Now what are they debating about?

They're trying to decide who will
be the head of the government.

I think it should be a queen.

A beautiful queen.

Some of the delegates think
it should be just one man.

But others are afraid
that if it's just one man,

he'll be like another king.

Shh, listen.

We are now open for debate on the
provision for a national executive.

Mr. Rutledge.

I'm strongly in favor of vesting the
executive power in a single person,

though I'm not in favor of giving
him the power of w*r and peace.

Mr. Sherman.

I strongly disagree.

The executive magistrate is
nothing more than an institution

for carrying the will of the
legislature into effect.

This person or persons ought to
be appointed and accountable

to the legislature only.

[Shouts of "No" and "Yes"]

Mr. Randolph.
Mr. Randolph.

A single executive would
be the fetus to a monarchy.

We have no motive to be governed by
the British monarchy as our prototype.

The executive ought
to be independent.

And to support that independence,

it should consist of more
than one chief executive.

Perhaps we should even have three.

What is he saying?

He thinks there should be three
chief executives instead of one.

Mr. Wilson.

Instead of being the
fetus of a monarchy, sir,

a single executive would be the
best safeguard against tyranny.

They can't seem to agree on anything.

I think we're in big trouble, sir.

What does it all mean, Linus?

If they can't work out a compromise,

the whole convention may fail.

Look at this.

I've come up with another great game.

Then what happens?

I haven't figured that out yet.

Boy, General Washington looks worried.

I wonder what's going to happen next.

Tickle, tickle, tickle, tickle.

Gentlemen, on the issue
of the election of senators,

we recognize Mr. Gary.

Gentlemen, four modes
of appointing the Senate

have been mentioned here today.

First, that the Senate be appointed
by the House of Representatives.

Second, by the national executive.

And this is a stride toward
monarchy that few will think of.

And third, by the people, which I
consider dangerous for various reasons.

And fourth, to be elected by
the legislatures, which I prefer.

[Shouts of "No" and "Never"]

Mr. Wilson.

If we are to establish
a national government,

that government ought to
flow from the people at large.

If one branch of it should be
chosen by the legislatures

and the other by the people,

the two branches will rest
on different foundations

and dissensions will naturally
arise between them.

We've been working at that convention
for almost two months, Linus.

I know.

Tomorrow is July 17th,

and they are still arguing
about the chief executive.

I thought you said they finally agreed
that it should be one person.

They did,

but now they have to decide
how that person will be elected.

I think if we remove
the bottom of the pail,

the ball will drop
through and it will...

You think everything
is going to fail, Linus?

I understand that.

Every day, some of the delegates
threaten to quit and go home.

No one seems to know
what's going to happen.

If they would just elect a queen,

that would solve everything.

He will become the mere creature
of the legislature if appointed

and impeachable by that body.

He ought to be elected
by the people at large,

by the freeholders of this country.

Mr. Sherman?

I respectfully disagree
with Mr. Morris.

The sense of the nation
would be better expressed

by the legislature than
by the people at large.

The people will never be
sufficiently informed of character.

And besides, we'll never give
a majority of votes to one man.

They will generally vote for
some man in their own state.

And the largest state will have the
best chance for the appointment.

[Shouts of "Hear, hear"]

Mr. Pinckney?

I heartily agree with Mr. Sherman.

The people will be easily led by
a few active and designing men.

The most popular states,

by combining in favor
of the same individual,

will be able to carry their points.

There they go again.

But the national legislatures,

being the most interested in
the laws made by themselves,

will be most attentive
to the choice of a fit man

to carry them properly into execution.

He doesn't want the people
to elect the chief executive.

Mr. Morris.

Gentlemen,

if the executive be chosen
by the national legislature,

he will not be independent of it.

One great object of the executive
is to control the legislature.

It is necessary, then, that
the executive magistrate

should be the guardian of the people.

I yield to Mr. Madison.

Well, now, if it be a fundamental
principle of free government

that the legislative, executive,
and judiciary powers

should be separately exercised,

it is equally so

that they be independently exercised.

Gentlemen, may I say that this has been
a most difficult week for all of us.

Although the debate will undoubtedly
continue before we adjourn,

for the record, I would like
to summarize what I believe

is the majority view as of this
evening in this great compromise.

It is proposed that representation
be according to

population in the lower house,

that all money bills
originate in that house,

and that in the upper house
each state shall have an equal vote.

And now, may we proceed
to equally important matters.

Snoopy!

I had the strangest dream last
night about Benjamin Franklin.

It sure is threatening outside.

No one in his right mind
would be out on a day like this.

Good grief!

Somebody is out in weather like this.

Good evening, lad.

I hear you make kites.

I would like to borrow a kite from you.

Really? Are you sure?

Of course.

I must take advantage of
these weather conditions.

I hope he can fly it.

I certainly can't.

Here you are.

Good luck, sir.

Thank you.

I'll bring it back as
soon as I have flown it.

It's perfect.

Good grief.

Thank you, young man.

It was most successful.

Hurry up.

They're thirsty already.

Now they're debating
about the judiciary.

They sure have different opinions.

Is it time to fill the
inkwells, sweet baboo?

No.

We could all get sticks
and choose up sides.

Hey, then we'd all hit the ball
to get it to the wicket there.

That's it.

One team hits it toward the wicket,

and the other team tries to
hit it to the opposite goal.

Charlie Brown, I think
you've hit on something.

We'll call the game stickball.

Here, give me the ball,
Charlie Brown.

How about if we don't use sticks?

See?

I'll take this ball out to
the center of this area.

This is how it starts.

Here's the ball. See?

Now, Charlie Brown,

you come running up and
kick the ball toward the goal.

By the way, that'll be
the name of the game.

Kickball.

How about that, Charlie Brown?

Hmm.

Why can't I just come up
with the stick and hit the ball?

Well, Charlie Brown, if you want to
change the rules of your own game...

Hmm.

She's right.

We can't change the rules if we
haven't even made them yet.

Well, at least we can try it.

I'll run up to that ball and kick
it all the way to the moon!

We'll call this the kickoff,
Charlie Brown.

Linus, this is the start of the third
month that we've been here.

How much longer will this last?

I've been carrying these
buckets for three months now.

No one knows.

They still don't know
if they will succeed.

Now what are they debating about?

Well, they seem to have worked
out some of the problems

about two parts of the government...

the legislative and the
executive branches.

But now they are working on the
third branch of the government...

the judiciary.

What's the judiciary?

That's about judges and
law and stuff like that.

Mr. Ellsworth!

Dear Grandmother, I'm
sorry I haven't written you...

but I've been very busy
working at the convention.

I am worried about our
country, Grandmother.

My friend Linus says that if these
men don't agree fairly soon...

this convention and then maybe
the whole country will collapse.

It's been very, very hot here.

And twelve of the delegates
have already gone home.

Those who are left are debating
about things like sl*very...

and the Bill of Rights...

and a bunch of other things, too.

Linus says if they don't agree
on a strong constitution...

we might have civil wars
between the states.

Please keep your fingers
crossed, Grandmother.

So will I.

Love, Peppermint Patty.

I believe we have come to a
day in our nation's history...

that many believed was impossible.

I commend each and every
one of you for your courage...

your endurance...

and your honest debate.

We have now reviewed every
word of this constitution...

and the time has come to vote upon it.

We'll have a roll call of the states.

New Hampshire votes aye.

Massachusetts votes aye.

Connecticut votes aye.

This constitution for
a new United States

has been approved.

They did it! They did it!

Thirty-nine of the forty-two
delegates signed the constitution.

What does it say?

Well, let me read to you what
they wrote, Charlie Brown.

We the people of the United States...

in order to form a more perfect union...

establish justice...

ensure domestic tranquility...

provide for the common defense...

promote the general welfare...

and secure the blessings of liberty...

to ourselves and our posterity...

do ordain and establish this constitution...

for the United States of America.

And that's what freedom
is all about, Charlie Brown.

Boy, we were there almost
four months, Linus.

I bet those delegates are
glad to finally go home.

The trouble is, their
work is only just begun.

Why is that?

In order to make it the law of the land...

they must get enough of the states...

to approve the new constitution.

How long will that take?

Nobody is sure.

It might take months...

or even years...

or it still may never happen.

Government doesn't seem to
be a very easy business, Linus.

Freedom isn't a very easy
business either, Charlie Brown.

- Good night, Linus.
- [Sally] Good night, Linus.

Good night.

I'll say a little prayer
for our people, Linus.

After many months of debate...

thirteen states finally
ratified the Constitution.

Two years later, they
ratified the Bill of Rights.

The United States were
finally, truly, united.