Eleanor Finch
The American Revolution, which lasted from 1775 to 1783, was a war between the Americans and the British that arose from the colonists' dissatisfaction with paying taxes without having any say in the laws that governed them. After the war, the states joined together to set up a Federal Government under the Articles of Confederation, which served as the first constitution of the United States. However, the Articles of Confederation created a weak central government, leading to disputes among the states that threatened to tear the young country apart. As a result, a Constitutional Convention was held in 1787, and on September 17, 1787, a new Constitution was signed, establishing a powerful central government and a system of checks and balances. This Constitution was ratified in 1788 and remains the supreme law of the land today.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of drafting and signing | 1787 |
| Year of ratification | 1788 |
| Location of drafting and signing | Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Number of delegates who signed | 39 |
| Number of amendments | 27 |
| Number of states needed for ratification | 9 |
| Date the Constitution became law | June 21, 1788 |
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What You'll Learn
The Articles of Confederation
However, the Articles of Confederation proved to be a flawed compromise, and the central government had limited power to regulate commerce, levy taxes, or print money. Disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the country apart. As a result, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation and create a stronger central government. The Constitution, written and signed by a group of delegates in 1787, became the new framework of national government, replacing the Articles of Confederation in 1789.
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The Constitutional Convention
The US Constitution was written and signed by a group of delegates in 1787, years after the Revolutionary War ended. It was ratified in 1788 and became the "supreme law" of the land.
The convention was attended by delegates from 12 states, with Rhode Island being the only state that refused to send delegates. George Washington of Virginia, former commanding general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War, was elected to serve as President of the convention. While most of the delegates assumed that the convention's purpose was to discuss improvements to the existing Articles of Confederation, leading proponents of the convention, including James Madison of Virginia and Alexander Hamilton of New York, sought to create a new system of government. Madison, who had studied republics and confederacies throughout history, believed that the solution to America's problems lay in a strong central government.
The convention debated several broad outlines, notably Madison's Virginia Plan and William Paterson's New Jersey Plan. The Virginia Plan was selected as the basis for the new government, which included a bicameral legislative branch, an executive branch, and a judicial branch. The delegates debated the role of the executive, including key issues such as whether executive power should be divided among three people or vested in a single chief executive, how a president would be elected, the length and number of allowable terms, what offenses should be impeachable, and whether judges should be chosen by the legislature or the executive. Slavery was also a contentious issue, with delegates debating the insertion of a fugitive slave clause, the abolition of the slave trade, and whether slaves should be counted in proportional representation.
The convention ultimately ratified the Constitution of the United States, making it one of the most significant events in American history. The Constitution established a federal government with more specific powers, including those related to conducting relations with foreign governments. It provided for a system of checks and balances, ensuring that no one branch of government would become more powerful than the others.
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Ratification
The US Constitution was written and signed by 38 delegates in 1787, years after the Revolutionary War ended. It was ratified in 1788, and it remains the "supreme law" of the land today.
The US Constitution was ratified in 1788, on June 21, when two-thirds of the states approved it. The process of ratification was laid down in Article VII of the Constitution, which stated that ratification by the conventions of nine states would be sufficient for the establishment of the Constitution. The nine states that ratified the Constitution were Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and New Hampshire.
The ratification process was not a straightforward one. The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution, bypassing the state legislatures and calling for special ratifying conventions in each state. This was because members of the state legislatures would be reluctant to give up power to a national government. The Federalists, who believed in a strong central government, needed to convert at least three states. The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, fought against the Constitution because it created a powerful central government and lacked a bill of rights.
The debate over the Constitution raged in newspapers, taverns, coffeehouses, and even in people's homes. The ratification campaign was a close call, and the tide turned in Massachusetts, where the "vote now, amend later" compromise helped secure victory. On March 4, 1789, the 1st Congress of the new Constitution was seated, and George Washington was elected as the first president.
The US Constitution has been amended several times since its ratification. The process of amending the Constitution involves two steps: proposal and ratification. Proposals to amend the Constitution must be adopted by either Congress or a national convention before being ratified. The ratification process can be done through the consent of state legislatures or state ratifying conventions, with the latter method only being used once for the Twenty-first Amendment. To date, the Constitution has been amended 27 times, with the first ten amendments known as the Bill of Rights.
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The Bill of Rights
The American Revolution ended in 1783. The Constitution was written and signed in 1787, and ratified in 1788. It was amended several times over the years, with the first ten amendments being called the Bill of Rights.
The Third Amendment states that no soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. The Fifth Amendment protects the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, and requires warrants to be supported by probable cause. The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to a speedy trial and the right to confront witnesses. The Ninth Amendment states that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution shall not be construed to deny or disparage other rights retained by the people. The Tenth Amendment states that powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution are reserved to the states or the people.
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The three branches of government
The US Constitution, which lays out the system of government and the rights of the American people, was written and signed in 1787, years after the end of the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). It was ratified in 1788 and became the foundation of the American government.
The Constitution established three branches of government: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. Each branch has its own unique role and powers, and together they form a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
The executive branch is responsible for executing and enforcing the laws of the land. It is led by the President, who is the head of state and government. The President is also the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and has the power to veto legislation created by Congress. The executive branch also includes the Cabinet, which is composed of the Vice President, heads of executive departments, and other high-ranking government officials. These individuals advise the President and assist in carrying out the duties of the executive office.
The legislative branch is responsible for creating and passing laws. In the US system, this branch is bicameral, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate provides equal representation to each state, while the House of Representatives provides representation based on population. This branch has the power to confirm or reject the President's nominees for certain positions and can also remove the President from office in exceptional circumstances.
The judicial branch is responsible for interpreting the laws and ensuring that they are applied fairly and impartially. It is comprised of the Supreme Court and lower federal courts. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country, and its nine Justices interpret the laws according to the Constitution. These justices only hear cases pertaining to issues related to the Constitution. The lower federal courts are located in each state and hear cases involving federal issues.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the US Constitution was written and signed in 1787, a few years after the American Revolution ended in 1783.
The US Constitution lays out the system of government and the rights of the American people. It is the foundation of the American government.
The US Constitution needed to be ratified by nine of the 13 states to be enacted. The ratification process was challenging due to opposition from Anti-Federalists, but it was eventually achieved with the "vote now, amend later" compromise.
