Omar Bennett
The US Constitution is a foundational document of immense significance, but the capitalization of certain words within it has sparked some confusion. The Constitution, as ratified in the late 1780s, features an array of capitalized nouns, reflecting the 18th-century convention in formal documents. This style, similar to German, was favored by Gouverneur Morris, who drafted the final version. However, by the time of ratification, Congress had moved away from this rule, and the inconsistent capitalization in the document is technically incorrect. The US Constitution's capitalization differs from modern standards, where capitalization typically indicates a proper noun or a term defined elsewhere in the document.
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What You'll Learn
Capitalization of nouns in the US Constitution
The use of capitalization in the US Constitution has been a topic of discussion and curiosity. The document that was ratified by Americans in the late 1780s, shortly after the signing of the parchment in Philadelphia, differs in punctuation and capitalization from the official printed archetype of the Constitution. However, the words themselves remain the same.
The US Constitution's capitalization appears to follow the 18th-century convention of capitalizing nouns in formal documents. This practice was common at the time, although it was starting to fade by the end of that century. Gouverneur Morris, the person responsible for drafting the final Constitution, preferred and applied this style, albeit with some inconsistencies.
In the Constitution, most, if not all, nouns are capitalized. For example, in the preamble, "defence" is the only noun that is not capitalized, while all others, such as "People," "Union," "Justice," "Tranquility," "Welfare," and "Liberty," are capitalized. This pattern continues in Article 1, Section 1, where nouns like "Legislative Powers," "Congress," "Senate," and "House of Representatives" are all capitalized.
The use of capitalization in the Constitution may have been influenced by the now-discarded English approach, which has been replaced by the current convention in American law. According to this convention, the capitalization of a noun that is not a proper noun in a contract, statute, or regulation indicates that the term is defined elsewhere in the document. For instance, "Parties" in a contract clause might refer to a specific definition provided in the caption.
While there may not be any in-depth linguistic studies specifically on capitalization in the Constitution, it is intriguing to consider how the drafters determined the capitalization of certain words. The capitalization practices of the time likely influenced the document's style, creating a historical snapshot of language usage during that era.
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The US Constitution's definitive copy
The US Constitution, the supreme law of the United States, is a document that was ratified by Americans in the late 1780s. It is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments, the first 10 of which are known as the Bill of Rights. The US Constitution is a specific founding document and is therefore capitalised.
The original, handwritten, and hand-signed copy of the US Constitution is enshrined in the National Archives. This document, however, was never officially ratified by "We the People of the United States". The official printed archetype of the Constitution, which does exist, features different punctuation and capitalization to the original. Nevertheless, the words and meaning remain the same.
The US Constitution was drafted by Gouverneur Morris, who followed the 18th-century convention of capitalizing nouns in important documents. This practice was fading by the end of the 1700s, but Morris preferred it. The document begins with the words "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
The Constitution outlines the powers granted to the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the US government. It establishes a system of checks and balances to ensure that no one branch holds too much power. It also outlines the rights and freedoms of US citizens, including the right to free speech, the right to bear arms, and the right to due process of law. The Constitution has been amended several times throughout US history to reflect changes in social and political attitudes.
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US Constitution: a proper noun?
The US Constitution is a proper noun and is generally capitalised, as is the convention with specific references to the founding document. For example, "George Washington's signature is on the Constitution".
However, when referring to constitutions in a general sense, the word is not capitalised. For instance, "the chess club needed a new constitution".
The US Constitution is not the only document to follow this convention; the Vermont Constitution and the Iraq Constitution are also proper nouns and are capitalised.
The convention of capitalising nouns in the US Constitution dates back to the 18th century, when it was common in fancy documents, and was similar to the German convention. However, by the end of the 1700s, the trend was fading, and Congress had decided to drop the rule. Nevertheless, the final Constitution, drafted by Gouverneur Morris, retained the capitalisation of nouns, albeit with some mistakes.
Some sources suggest that the US Constitution's capitalisation may be a result of its being a proper noun, while others argue that it is simply a matter of linguistic convention and style.
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Capitalization in the 18th century
In the 18th century, it was common practice to capitalise the first letter of nouns in English-language sources. This trend, which began in the 17th century, was influenced by the formatting of Continental books, which often used capitalisation for the names of different branches of knowledge. This trend was also present in other Germanic languages, such as German.
By the 18th century, writers had begun to use capitalisation for any noun they considered important. This led to the publication of books in which all or most nouns were capitalised, possibly for aesthetic reasons or because printers were uncertain about which nouns to capitalise. This practice was also used in modern German.
The manuscripts of Butler, Traherne, Swift, and Pope from the 18th century are examples of works that used this capitalisation style. However, the fashion began to wane in the later 18th century as grammarians believed that the overuse of capitals was unnecessary and led to a loss of distinction. Their rules significantly reduced the types of nouns that were allowed to be capitalised.
The US Constitution, ratified in the late 1780s, is an example of an 18th-century document that used extensive capitalisation. The use of capitalisation in the Constitution was not standardised, and it is believed that the final drafter, Gouverneur Morris, preferred this style. Most nouns in the preamble are capitalised, such as in the phrase, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity..."
In modern usage, "Constitution" is capitalised when referring to the specific founding document of the United States. However, when used descriptively or as an adjective ("constitutional"), it is written in lower case.
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US Constitution vs. other constitutions
In the US, when referring to the specific founding document known as the Constitution, the word "Constitution" is capitalized. For example, "George Washington's signature is the first on the Constitution." This is because, in the 18th century, it was common practice to capitalize nouns in important documents. However, this is not the case when using the word "constitution" descriptively or as an adjective, in which case it would be lowercase. For instance, "the club needed a new constitution" or "a constitutional amendment".
The US Constitution, ratified in the late 1780s, superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. It consists of seven articles, with the first three embodying the doctrine of the separation of powers. The federal government is divided into three branches: the legislative, consisting of a bicameral Congress (Article I); the executive, consisting of the President and subordinate officers (Article II); and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts (Article III).
The US Constitution is unique in that it establishes a federal system with a division of powers between the national and state governments. The legislative branch is responsible for making laws, while the judicial branch interprets those laws, and the executive branch enforces them. This system of checks and balances helps to ensure that no one branch holds too much power.
In comparison, other countries' constitutions may differ in their structure and content. For example, some countries may have a unitary system of government, where power is more centralized, or a parliamentary system, where the executive branch is drawn from the legislative branch. Additionally, the process for amending a constitution can vary. In the US, there are two steps to the amendment process, with proposals requiring adoption and ratification before they can change the Constitution. Other countries may have different requirements for amending their constitutions, such as a referendum or a supermajority vote in the legislature.
Furthermore, the content of other constitutions can vary significantly from that of the US Constitution. For example, some countries may have a longer bill of rights, or they may include provisions for an official state religion, which is notably absent from the US Constitution due to the First Amendment's protection of religious freedom. Additionally, the length and level of detail in constitutions can differ. The US Constitution is relatively brief and outlines broad principles, while other countries may have more comprehensive documents that include specific policies and procedures.
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Frequently asked questions
"Constitutional" is lowercase because it is an adjective, but sometimes "constitution" should be capitalized. When you’re using "constitution" descriptively, it’s also lowercase. For instance, "We should look that up in our constitution." In the U.S., when you’re referring to the specific founding document we call the Constitution, it is capitalized.
That was the convention in the 18th century in fancy documents to capitalize nouns. It matches what the Germans do. The practice was fading away by the end of the 1700s, but Gouverneur Morris (the man who physically drafted the final Constitution) liked it that way and did it that way (with some mistakes).
It depends on the country. In general, when one is discussing a named document or committee, or something similar, if a common word in the official title is used as a shorthand name for the entity, that word may be capitalized.
No, this should be lowercase.
