WATCH: PragerU Releases ‘The Constitution: A Nation Of States’

How did the 13 colonies come to be the United States of America. PragerU discusses in its most recent video the pivotal role that the Constitution played in uniting colonies and the relationship of the federal government with the states.

Host Kurt Lash, Professor of Law at the University of Richmond, examines America’s founding document, breaking down the powers of the three branches of the federal government and providing details of how states function.

“When America won the Revolutionary War, the former English colonies became free and independent states — almost as if they were separate countries,” Lash stated in the new PragerU video The title “The Constitution: A Nation of States.”

“But when those states later voted to ratify the federal Constitution, they became part of an indestructible union of states under a common national government, one in which all citizens were granted the same rights,” He added.

The issue of states’ rights was more complicated during the nation’s early history when slavery was legal in some states.

Article IV, Section 2, declares that “[N]o Person held to … Labour in one State … escaping into another, shall … be discharged from such … Labour, but shall be delivered up [to] the Party to whom such … Labour may be due.”

Lash stated that the word “slave” It was not included in the original Constitution. He claimed that the Founding Fathers were cautious about endorsing slavery despite southern states allowing it.

Article V describes how the Constitution may be amended. This process requires a two thirds majority vote in the Senate and House, or a special convention that is called by two-thirds. The proposed amendment must be ratified then by three-quarters (75%) of the states.

Lash explained how the complicated process meant that only proposals that received widespread support would result in a Constitutional amendment being passed.

Article VI declared, too, that the Constitution was the “supreme Law of the Land,” Giving it priority over other laws.

Before the Constitution was ratified, America was guided by the Articles of Confederation. This loose agreement did not have a national leader or a court system. It could not tax citizens to provide for the nation’s defense during times of war.

These concerns were addressed by the Constitution, but many power were left to the states. This power division, known as federalism was never before possible in other countries.

Lash explained that Article 7 allowed citizens to make decisions, rather than elite leaders. Without nine of the original thirteen states ratifying it, the Constitution would not be effective. New Hampshire was the ninth state that ratified it on June 21, 1788.

The full video is available below.

NEW! NEW! The answer is found in the second half of the American Constitution—Articles IV through VII. @kurtlash1Professor of Law at University of Richmond, Dr. Judith explains.https://t.co/A9KICEwe7f

— PragerU (@prageru) January 16, 2023