The phrase “provide for the common defence,” included in the preamble of the United States Constitution, authorises the federal government to maintain a military for the defence and protection of its citizens.
Congress has the authority to “raise and sustain armies” and “create and maintain a navy” under Article I of the US Constitution. Article II designates the president as army commander-in-chief and grants him or her the authority to declare war. These statements assure that the federal government prioritises national defence. It also charges the government with maintaining peace by maintaining a state-controlled military. The government upholds the fundamental rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness established in the Declaration of Independence by using a military to safeguard the country.
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The Founding Fathers’ Role
The idea for federal defence arose from the Founding Fathers’ dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation, which governed the 13 colonies. Initially, governments were responsible for defence, but the Founding Fathers recognised that the country was fragile and that it could only respond effectively to local and foreign challenges if it had a powerful, cohesive military. They divided defence responsibilities between Congress and the presidency to make common defence a national priority without providing too much power to one branch of government. The goal was to develop a force that could protect the American people while not becoming too powerful to interfere with government matters.
The Founding Fathers despised centralised government and intended the Constitution to maintain the army and navy of the United States under civilian control. As a result, in addition to giving the president the authority to command and manage the army’s activities, the Constitution also designates the president as the country’s top diplomat, meaning he is supposed to promote peace outside of warfare.
Military Development in the United States
The Constitution mandates that the US military stay strong even in times of peace, in addition to splitting military responsibility between Congress and the president. President George Washington reiterated this view, saying that the quickest way to attain peace was to be ready for war at all times. He requested large sums of money for military spending, which has been followed by other presidents afterwards. Because Congress does not limit the amount of money the government can spend on defence, each president and Congress can set their own military budget. The army and navy are also allowed by the Constitution to adapt to new technologies and modernise throughout time in order to effectively defend the American people.
One of numerous rights reserved for the federal government is the right to defend its people with an army. Other tasks entrusted to the government concern the citizens’ health, safety, and well-being.
Additional federal powers include the authority to create and circulate money, the right to punish citizens for actions that are not punishable by state governments, the right to maintain and protect the nation’s natural resources, and the right to regulate public health and occupational safety.
The government can also define and penalise criminal acts such as attacks on American planes or unlawful foreign aircraft flights into American airspace.