Jonah Patel
The United States Constitution, one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world, came into effect in 1789. The signing of the document occurred on September 17, 1787, when 39 delegates endorsed the constitution. The constitution was created by delegates at the Philadelphia Convention, who were tasked with revising the existing government. The convention was called due to fears that the young country was on the brink of collapse, as the Articles of Confederation, which acted as America's first constitution, gave the Confederation Congress no enforcement powers. The Constitution came into effect when it was ratified by nine states, and the process of organizing the new government began.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of signing | 17 September 1787 |
| Number of signatures | 39 |
| Date of first proposal | 21 February 1787 |
| Date of first ratification | 26 July 1788 |
| Date of Congressional certification | 13 September 1788 |
| Date of first Congress | 4 March 1789 |
| Number of states ratifying by December 1791 | 11 |
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What You'll Learn
The signing of the US Constitution
The convention was convened due to fears that the young country was on the brink of collapse. America’s first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, print money, or settle disputes between states.
The delegates appointed a Committee of Detail to put its decisions in writing, and a Committee of Style and Arrangement condensed 23 articles into seven in less than four days. The signing of the Constitution was an extraordinary achievement, with delegates representing wildly different interests and views, crafting compromises.
By the end of July 1788, eleven states had ratified the Constitution, and the process of organizing the new government began. The Congress of the Confederation certified that the new Constitution had been ratified by enough states for it to go into effect on September 13, 1788. The First Congress convened on March 4, 1789, with widespread sentiment in favour of making alterations.
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The Articles of Confederation
The Articles were drafted by the Second Continental Congress, which appointed three committees on June 11, 1776, after the Lee Resolution proposed independence for the American colonies. One of these committees was tasked with determining the form the confederation of the colonies should take, and it was composed of one representative from each colony. The Dickinson Draft of the Articles of Confederation named the confederation "the United States of America."
The final draft of the Articles of Confederation was completed on November 15, 1777, and submitted to the states for ratification in late November 1777. The Articles required ratification by all 13 states to come into effect. Virginia was the first state to ratify, on December 16, 1777, and 12 states had ratified the Articles by February 1779. However, Maryland refused to ratify until the other states ceded their western land claims. Maryland finally ratified the Articles on February 2, 1781, and Congress was informed of its assent on March 1, officially proclaiming the Articles of Confederation to be the law of the land.
Despite the Articles of Confederation establishing the functions of the national government, the central government had limited power to regulate commerce, levy taxes, or effectively support a war effort. It also could not print money, and Congress attempted to function with a depleted treasury, leading to extraordinary inflation. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart. As a result, in May 1787, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, and the present-day US Constitution came into effect in 1789.
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The Constitutional Convention
The convention was convened in Philadelphia, with delegates from twelve state legislatures, excluding Rhode Island. General George Washington, who, along with James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, had feared the country was on the brink of collapse, was unanimously elected president of the convention. The delegates debated and discussed a new constitution for three hot summer months, ultimately creating a powerful central government. They appointed a Committee of Detail to put their decisions in writing, which was then kneaded into its final form by a Committee of Style and Arrangement, condensing 23 articles into seven.
On September 17, 1787, 39 delegates endorsed the new constitution. The signing of the United States Constitution marked the end of the convention. Article VII of the proposed constitution stipulated that only nine of the thirteen states would have to ratify for the new government to go into effect. By the end of July 1788, eleven states had ratified the Constitution, and the process of organizing the new government began. The new government began operations on March 4, 1789, when the First Congress convened.
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Ratification by states
The Constitution of the United States was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates who endorsed the constitution during the convention. The delegates were tasked with revising the existing government; however, they ended up creating a powerful central government. The delegates were wary about centralised power and loyal to their states, so they crafted compromises.
The delegates to the Philadelphia Convention provided for the ratification of the Constitution by popularly elected ratifying conventions in each state. The convention method also allowed judges, ministers, and others ineligible to serve in state legislatures to be elected to a convention. Suspecting that Rhode Island might not ratify, the delegates decided that the Constitution would go into effect as soon as nine states ratified it. Each of the remaining four states could then join the newly formed union by ratifying.
By the end of July 1788, eleven states had ratified the Constitution, and the process of organising the new government began. On September 13, 1788, the Congress of the Confederation certified that the new Constitution had been ratified by more than enough states for it to go into effect. The Congress fixed the city of New York as the temporary seat of the new government and set the dates for the election of representatives and presidential electors. The First Congress convened on March 4, 1789, with a decidedly federalist membership.
The sharp Anti-Federalist critique of the Constitution did not abate after it became operational. By the time the First Congress convened in March 1789, there was widespread sentiment in both the House and Senate in favour of making alterations. In September of that year, Congress adopted twelve amendments and sent them to the states for ratification. Ten of these amendments were ratified by the required number of states in December 1791 and became part of the Constitution. These amendments included the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, a free press, and free assembly, among others.
In 1791 and 1792, when Vermont and Kentucky joined the Union, the number of states that had ratified the amendment climbed to twelve. No additional states have ratified this amendment since. To become part of the Constitution today, ratification by an additional twenty-seven states would be required.
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The First Congress
The Anti-Federalists were staunch critics of the Constitution, arguing that it created a powerful central government reminiscent of the one they had overthrown, and that it lacked a bill of rights. Despite their objections, the Constitution was ratified by enough states to come into effect.
In the First Congress, there was a widespread sentiment in both the House and Senate in favour of making alterations to the Constitution. James Madison, a key figure in the process, worked tirelessly to persuade the House to enact amendments. By October 17, 1788, Madison was convinced that a bill of rights was necessary not only to ensure acceptance of the Constitution but also to have positive effects. He believed that "fundamental maxims of free government" would provide "a good ground for an appeal to the sense of community" and "counteract the impulses of interest and passion."
Madison's efforts were successful, and he managed to shepherd 17 amendments through the early months of Congress, which were later trimmed to 12 in the Senate. These amendments included freedoms not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution's main body, such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and free assembly. On October 2, 1789, President Washington sent copies of the 12 amendments to each state for ratification. Ten of these amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified by the required number of states in December 1791 and became an integral part of the Constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution is the framework for the United States government.
A few years after the Revolutionary War, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared that their young country was on the brink of collapse. America’s first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn’t regulate commerce, or print money. The states’ disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
The signing of the United States Constitution occurred on September 17, 1787, when 39 delegates endorsed the constitution. On September 13, 1788, the Congress of the Confederation certified that the new Constitution had been ratified by more than enough states for it to go into effect. The First Congress convened on March 4, 1789.
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May of 1787.
Article VII describes the process for establishing the proposed new frame of government. Delegates to the Philadelphia Convention provided for ratification of the Constitution by popularly elected ratifying conventions in each state. The convention method also made it possible that judges, ministers, and others ineligible to serve in state legislatures, could be elected to a convention.
