Milwaukee Catholic Home // America 250! The United States Constitution – Past and Present – Dr. Tim Crain (Part 4)

In celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday, Dr. Tim Crain presents a compelling six-part series, “The United States Constitution: Past and Present.” Tracing America’s journey from the thirteen colonies and the Declaration of Independence through the Revolutionary War and the Constitutional Convention of 1787, the series explores the creation of the three branches of government, the adoption of the Bill of Rights, and the Founders’ concerns about executive power. Concluding with the transformative amendments that abolished slavery and secured women’s suffrage, this timely and engaging series offers meaningful insight into the Constitution’s enduring influence as we mark this historic milestone.

Description for Today’s Lecture: Slavery in the Republic

The United States Constitution officially took effect, establishing the federal government on March 4, 1789. The document was far from perfect. One of the major issues that was all but ignored by the delegates at the Constitutional Convention was the institution of slavery. Slaves were considered property, not human beings by the delegates in Philadelphia. Hence the founding fathers, the majority of whom were also slave owners, left the issue unresolved which led directly to the American Civil War seventy years later.