A momentous chapter in American history is the story of the making and ratifying of the
             Constitution of the United States. The challenge before the Constitutional Convention was to
             draft a document that would harness political power in a responsible fashion. The direction of the
             young country's future, and the delegates' ability to fulfill the promise of the American
             Revolution, which the Articles of Confederation had clearly failed to do, loomed large in the
             Convention's deliberations. The outcome of this decision-making has remained valid for over two
             centuries, a feat that deserves analysis. The reason for its timeless quality and ability to thrive
             throughout the years can be traced back to one man, James Madison. He guaranteed a
             permanent, stable form of government for the United States by emphasizing "checks and
             balances" and different levels of power among the three branches of the proposed system.
             While drafting the Constitution, Madison drew together the concepts of several British
             and French political philosophers and developed his view of how the government should be run.
             Not only did he understand the value of such concepts, he actively pursued enacting them in the
             United States Constitution. Madison made it a point to synthesize two similar yet distinct forms
             of government: the democracy and the republic (Van Doren 67). The government resembled a
             democracy in that the people themselves rule the country directly in some ways. The government
             also resembled a republic because the people elect representatives who rule on their behalf. For
             example, the people, based on population of districts, directly elect members of the House of
             Representatives (Findlay 15). The Senate has two members per state, no matter its size or
             population. Therefore, the United States Congress, although one legislative entity, embodies both
             One of the bedrock principles of Ma...