Benjamin Franklin’s Final Speech in the Constitutional Convention
Read the following primary document and article: “Benjamin Franklin’s Final Speech in the Constitutional Convention” and “Inside the Founding Fathers’ Debate Over What Constituted an Impeachable Offense” by Erick Trickey. The Benjamin Franklin document is thoughtful but dense with ideas so please read carefully. After reading the material, answer the following questions with as much summary and insight as possible. Each question is worth five (5) points each and strive for one-two paragraphs for each response.
1. What appears to be Benjamin Franklin’s feelings on the completed Constitution? Does he think it’s an unqualified triumph? Does he believe it has potential problems? Or does he mix optimism with pessimism about the document’s success? Summarize his feelings as best you can.
2. In Erick Trickey’s article on the history of the impeachment clause, describe the pivotal role that George Mason played in placing the impeachment proceedings in the Constitution and the derivation of the phrase “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
3. Describe how Trickey traced the constitutional impeachment proceedings ultimately placed in Article II to the British parliamentary system. What did Mason and other Founding Fathers draw and learn from British ideas, case studies and legal procedure?
4. Trickey also analyzes the historical question if the standards for presidential impeachment were balanced or set a “vague standard.” How does Tricky use the impeachment history of President Andrew Johnson and the near impeachment of Richard Nixon to show the difficulty in pinpointing the right reasons for presidential impeachment?
Answer preview Benjamin Franklin’s Final Speech in the Constitutional Convention
APA
639 words