Jonah Patel
The US Constitution, written in 1787 and ratified by nine of the original 13 states a year later, is the world's longest-surviving written constitution. However, it has not gone unchanged since its inception. The Founding Fathers intended the document to be flexible to accommodate the changing needs and circumstances of the country. Since the Bill of Rights was adopted in 1791, Congress has passed 23 additional amendments to the Constitution, and the states have ratified 17 of them. The 13th and 15th Amendments, which outlawed slavery and gave Black men the right to vote, were ratified in 1865 and 1870, respectively. The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, gave women the right to vote for the first time. The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, limited the president to two terms in office. The 27th Amendment, dealing with congressional pay, was ratified in 1992, more than 200 years after it was first proposed.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date written | 1787 |
| Date ratified | 1788 |
| Number of amendments | 27 |
| Time taken to ratify the 1st amendment | 811 days |
| Time taken to ratify the 12th amendment | 6 months |
| Time taken to ratify the 13th amendment | 1 year |
| Time taken to ratify the 14th amendment | 2 years |
| Time taken to ratify the 16th amendment | 1,302 days or 3 years |
| Time taken to ratify the 17th amendment | 1 year |
| Time taken to ratify the 18th amendment | N/A |
| Time taken to ratify the 22nd amendment | 4 years |
| Time taken to ratify the 23rd amendment | 285 days |
| Time taken to ratify the 24th amendment | 514 days |
| Time taken to ratify the 25th amendment | N/A |
| Time taken to ratify the 26th amendment | 100 days |
| Time taken to ratify the 27th amendment | 202 years |
| First 13 colonies to ratify the constitution | 3 years |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution is the world's longest-surviving written constitution
The US Constitution, written in 1787 and ratified by nine of the original 13 states a year later, is the world's longest-surviving written constitution. It has served as a framework for the US government for over 200 years and has been amended 27 times.
The US Constitution was authored by the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, and it has been tweaked and expanded over time to fit the changing needs and circumstances of the country. The Founding Fathers intended the document to be flexible, with Edmund Randolph, one of the five men tasked with drafting it, stating that the goal was to "insert essential principles only, lest the operations of government should be clogged by rendering those provisions permanent and unalterable, which ought to be accommodated to times and events."
One of the biggest early criticisms of the Constitution was that it did not adequately protect the rights of individuals against the nation's new central government. James Madison, who also played a key role in the creation of the Constitution, immediately drafted a list of rights for citizens that the federal government could not take away. This included freedom of religion, speech, and the press, the right to bear arms, the right to a trial by jury, and freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. These rights were later adopted as the Bill of Rights in 1791.
Since the adoption of the Bill of Rights, Congress has passed 23 additional amendments to the Constitution, with 17 of them being ratified by the states. Some notable amendments include the 12th Amendment, which established the Electoral College, the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, the 15th Amendment, which ensured voting rights for Black men, the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, and the 22nd Amendment, which limited presidential tenure to two terms. The process of amending the Constitution has varied, with some amendments being ratified in a few months and others taking multiple years or even centuries.
The US Constitution has not only survived for over two centuries but has also served as a model for other countries and constitutions. Its longevity and influence demonstrate the Founding Fathers' successful effort to create a flexible and adaptable framework for the US government.
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The Founding Fathers intended the document to be flexible
The US Constitution, written in 1787, is the world's longest-surviving written constitution. However, it has not remained unchanged since its inception. The Founding Fathers intended the document to be flexible to accommodate the changing needs and circumstances of the country. Virginia delegate Edmund Randolph, one of the five men tasked with drafting the Constitution, summarised this intention as the need to "insert essential principles only, lest the operations of government should be clogged by rendering those provisions permanent and unalterable, which ought to be accommodated to times and events".
The Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was adopted in 1787. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 to address criticisms that the Constitution did not adequately protect individual rights against the nation's new central government. James Madison, one of the authors of the Constitution, drafted this list of rights, which included freedom of religion, speech, and the press, the right to bear arms, the right to a trial by jury, and freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures.
The process of amending the Constitution has varied in duration. Some amendments were ratified in a few months, while others took decades or even centuries. For example, the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, took nearly 100 years of activism and reform to be ratified in 1920. The 22nd Amendment, which limited presidents to two terms, was ratified in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt served four terms in office. The 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, and the 15th Amendment, which granted Black men the right to vote, were both outcomes of the Civil War and ratified in 1865 and 1870, respectively.
The Constitution's flexibility is also evident in the changing balance of power between the federal government and state governments. Initially, individual state governments held more power than the central government. However, over time, the federal government expanded its role and power through Supreme Court decisions and amendments. The 16th Amendment, ratified in 1913, gave the federal government the power to collect income tax, reversing the previous prohibition against a "direct tax" in Article I of the Constitution.
In summary, the Founding Fathers recognised the need for a flexible Constitution that could adapt to the evolving needs of the nation. This foresight has allowed the United States to maintain a stable framework of government while addressing the challenges and changes that arise over time.
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Amendments include the 13th, 15th, 19th, and 22nd
The US Constitution has been amended 27 times since its adoption in 1787. Four of the most significant amendments are the 13th, 15th, 19th, and 22nd Amendments.
The 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery in the United States and prohibited chattel slavery in all US territories. It also restricted other forms of bound labour and servitude, such as indentured servitude and peonage.
The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, granted African American men the right to vote. This was a significant step in the struggle for racial equality, building on the 13th Amendment's abolition of slavery and the 14th Amendment's guarantee of citizenship. However, it did not end voting discrimination, and further action was taken in 1965 with the Voting Rights Act.
The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, granted women the right to vote. This milestone was the culmination of decades of agitation, protest, and civil disobedience by women's suffrage supporters, dating back to the mid-19th century.
The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, imposed term limits on the presidency, restricting individuals from being elected to the office more than twice. This amendment was a response to Franklin D. Roosevelt's four terms in office and prevented several subsequent presidents from seeking a third term.
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The 11th Amendment limits the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
The US Constitution, written in 1787, is the world's longest-surviving written constitution. However, it has not remained unchanged since its adoption. The Founding Fathers intended the document to be flexible to accommodate the changing needs and circumstances of the country. The Constitution has been tweaked by 27 amendments, some of which were ratified in a few months, while others took more than two centuries.
One of these amendments is the 11th Amendment, which limits the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. The 11th Amendment was ratified in 1791 after 811 days of its approval by Congress. The restrictions concern the kinds of cases the Court could hear. The Amendment states: "The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State."
The 11th Amendment was proposed by Senator Caleb Strong of Massachusetts in response to the Supreme Court's decision in Chisholm v. Georgia (1793). In this case, the Court held that states did not have immunity from suits in federal court. The Amendment was intended to limit the judicial power of the federal courts in hearing suits against states by citizens of another state or foreign citizens.
Over time, the Supreme Court has expanded its interpretation of the 11th Amendment to reflect a broader view of state sovereignty. In Hans v. Louisiana (1890), the Court interpreted the Amendment to prohibit suits against a state not only by citizens of another state but also by a state's own citizens and in cases arising under federal law. This interpretation has been upheld in subsequent cases, such as Seminole Tribe of Florida v. Florida and Kimel v. Florida Board of Regents.
The 11th Amendment has been invoked in various cases to assert state sovereign immunity, such as Principality of Monaco v. Mississippi, United States v. Texas, and United States v. Peters. However, there have also been cases where the Amendment was not applied, such as Cohens v. Virginia (1821) and Martin v. Hunter's Lessee (1816).
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The 12th Amendment established the Electoral College
The US Constitution, written in 1787, is the world's longest-surviving written constitution. However, it has not remained unchanged. The Founding Fathers intended the document to be flexible to accommodate the changing needs and circumstances of the country. The Constitution has been amended 27 times since its adoption, with the 12th Amendment being one of the earliest.
The 12th Amendment, which established the modern-day Electoral College, was ratified in 1804. It replaced the procedure in Article II, Section 1, Clause 3, under which the Electoral College originally functioned. The Electoral College is comprised of electors who typically vote for the presidential candidate who won the popular vote in each state. The 12th Amendment made several adjustments to this system. Firstly, it mandated that electors vote separately for the president and vice president, addressing the issue of political rivals becoming president and vice president, as had happened in the 1796 and 1800 elections. Secondly, it required that one of the selected candidates be from a different state than the elector. This amendment also changed the process for contingent elections in Congress in the event of a tie vote.
The 1800 election between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, who were running mates but became political rivals, exposed serious problems with the original Electoral College voting procedure. The tie vote between these candidates led to a contingent election in the House of Representatives, where Jefferson was officially elected president after thirty-five gridlocked ballots. This election spurred legislators to amend the presidential election process to prevent similar issues in the future.
The 12th Amendment was proposed by Congress on December 9, 1803, and ratified on June 15, 1804, by three-quarters of state legislatures. The new rules took effect for the 1804 presidential election and have governed all subsequent elections. This amendment was a significant revision of American politics in the early 19th century, restructuring how presidential elections were conducted and helping to eliminate ties and deadlocks.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the US Constitution has been changed several times since it was first written in 1787. The Founding Fathers intended the document to be flexible to accommodate the changing needs of the country. Since the Bill of Rights was adopted in 1791, Congress has passed 23 additional amendments, and the states have ratified 17 of them.
The 13th Amendment, which was ratified in 1865, abolished slavery. The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, granted Black men the right to vote. The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, granted women the right to vote. The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, limits the President to two terms. The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18.
The process of amending the Constitution can be initiated by Congress or by a national convention called by the states. The proposed amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the states or by state legislatures, depending on the method of proposal.
The time it takes for an amendment to be ratified can vary significantly. Some amendments, such as the 12th and 23rd Amendments, were ratified in about six months. The 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, took almost 100 years of campaigning by suffragists. The 16th Amendment, which permitted an income tax, took more than three years to be ratified.
