A Well-Thought Framework, Amendments, and Judicial Review Have Helped the Constitution of the United States of America Stand the Test of Time- essay that got 2nd place for a scholarship!

A Well-Thought Framework, Amendments, and Judicial Review Have Helped the Constitution of the United States of America Stand the Test of Time- essay that got 2nd place for a scholarship! Framework of the ConstitutionThe Constitution of the United States of America has stood the test of time. The Founding Fathers' forethought as they deliberated and worded the Constitution, amendments by Congress, and judicial review by Supreme Courts over the years have helped the Constitution endure. Although the "fount of all authority,"1 it has also proven to be flexible, capable of meeting the different interests of generations of Americans.In 1787, the Constitution's authors philosophically pondered what constitutes good government. Many delegates believed the document which emerged from the Constitutional Convention had established sufficient 'checks and balances' - governmental power divided between the federal government and the States, and the powers assigned to the federal government divided among the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Branches. Federalists debated the merits of a strong federal government, but anti-Federalists claimed a too powerful central government wou ld usurp state sovereignty. In 1791 in response to anti-Federalists' fears, ten amendments (the Bill of Rights) were added to limit the Federal government's power, and to protect individual citizens' liberties such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to trial by jury with counsel, private property and the privacy of their homes.English: 15th Amendment of the United States Const..."By liberty, was meant protection against the tyranny of the political rulers."2Amending the Constitution to meet the needs and demands of "the people" helped the Constitution endure. After the Civil War, three amendments were added. The Thirteenth Amendment, in 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude; in 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified with the purpose of protecting any person within a state's jurisdiction from being deprived "of life, liberty, or property without due process of law," [or denied] "the equal protection of the laws."3 The Fifteenth Amendment, in 1870, p rohibited federal and state governments from abridging a citizen's right to vote "on account...

Writing Tips Percent, Per Cent and Percentages - Get Proofed!

Writing Tips Percent, Per Cent and Percentages - Get Proofed! Percent, Per Cent and Percentages We’ve been told that putting 110% into anything is mathematically impossible. But we’re proofreaders, not mathematicians! As such, we’re not going to let math get in the way of putting everything we have into solving your writing problems. Today, for example, we’re looking at writing percentages. Words and Numbers As with any numbers, percentages can be written as either words or numbers: Words: Around nine percent of people dislike coffee. Numbers: Approximately 91% of people like coffee. The examples above reflect three important guidelines when writing percentages: Numbers up to ten are usually written as words, while larger numbers are written as numerals When a percentage is written as a word, it should be followed by â€Å"percent† When a percentage is written as a numeral, it should be followed by the â€Å"%† sign However, this can vary depending on the context (e.g., measurements in scientific writing are almost always written as numerals, even for numbers under ten). It’s therefore a good idea to check your style guide for advice on how to write percentages. Percent vs. Per Cent The question we’re asked most often about writing percentages is whether to use â€Å"percent† or â€Å"per cent.† Ultimately, though, this doesn’t really matter: both are accepted spellings of this term. Again, we recommend checking your style guide if you have one, as some publishers and colleges have a preference. And â€Å"percent† is much more common these days than â€Å"per cent.† But other than that, the main thing is picking one spelling and using it consistently throughout your work. Percent vs. per cent When to Use â€Å"Percentage† Finally, we have the word â€Å"percentage.† Although similar to â€Å"percent,† this word has a slightly different usage: â€Å"Percent† is used with specific numbers, while â€Å"percentage† is used when referring to a general or non-specific amount of something. For example: A small percentage of the forms were coffee stained. Almost seven percent of the forms were coffee stained. As shown above, you should use â€Å"percentage† when the exact amount is unspecified.