Malcolm Rivera
The Constitution of the United States of America, the oldest written national constitution still in use, has been in place since 1789. The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States and defines the basic rights of citizens, the principal organs of government, and their jurisdictions. The Constitution was written in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by 55 delegates to a Constitutional Convention. The convention was called to amend the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, but ultimately resulted in the proposal and creation of a new form of government. The Constitution was ratified by nine of the 13 states in 1788 and elections were held in 1788 and 1789, with George Washington elected as the first president. The Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was ratified in 1791. Since 1789, the Constitution has been amended 27 times.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of ratification | June 21, 1788 |
| Date of official implementation | March 4, 1789 |
| Date of first ratification | December 7, 1787 |
| Date of signing | September 17, 1787 |
| Date of convention | May 25, 1787 |
| Number of amendments | 27 |
| Number of original articles | 7 |
| Number of states ratifying the Constitution | 9 out of 13 |
| Date of Bill of Rights ratification | December 15, 1791 |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution was ratified in 1788
The United States Constitution, the oldest written national constitution still in use, was ratified in 1788. It was written in 1787 by 55 delegates to a convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, convened to amend the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution. The convention, however, resulted in the proposal and creation of a new form of government.
The Constitution was signed by 38 of the 41 delegates present on September 17, 1787. Under Article VII, it was agreed that the document would only be binding once it had been ratified by nine of the 13 existing states. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, and it became the official framework of the government of the United States. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island approved the document. The Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was ratified on December 15, 1791.
The Constitution became operational in 1789, and the first federal elections were held in 1788 from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789. George Washington was elected as the first President, with John Adams as Vice President.
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The first government was formed in 1789
The United States Constitution, which created a strong federal government with a system of checks and balances, was signed on September 17, 1787. However, it was agreed that the document would only become binding once it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the document, making it the official framework of the government of the United States of America.
The first government under the U.S. Constitution was formed on March 4, 1789, with George Washington being inaugurated as the first president on April 30. The first session of the U.S. Congress was held in New York City, with 22 senators and 59 representatives called to represent the 11 states that had ratified the document. However, only nine senators and 13 representatives were present at the first session.
The formation of the first government in 1789 marked the beginning of the First Party System, with the development of the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republican Party. The Washington administration established many of the institutions and customs of the government, including the United States Code, the office of the presidency, executive departments, Congress, the Supreme Court, and the lower federal courts.
In September 1789, Congress approved 12 articles of amendment, which were submitted to the states for ratification. Ten of these amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. These amendments established several rights that the federal government could not infringe upon, including freedom of speech, the right to keep and bear arms, and due process rights.
The first government under the U.S. Constitution also established the Department of the Treasury, which adopted a policy of debt assumption and began issuing treasury securities. Tariffs and excises were levied to fund government activity, with the former being less controversial than the latter. The Revenue-Marine was established within the Department of the Treasury in 1790 as an armed customs enforcement service, and the Post Office was also set up within this department.
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The Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791
The US Constitution, which superseded the Articles of Confederation, came into effect in 1789. It has been amended 27 times since then, with the first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, being ratified in 1791.
The Bill of Rights was drafted in response to concerns that the Constitution as initially drafted would lead to tyranny by the central government. Opponents of the original document demanded a bill of rights that would spell out the immunities of individual citizens. Several state conventions formally ratified the Constitution with the understanding that amendments would be offered.
On September 25, 1789, the First Congress of the United States proposed 12 amendments to the state legislatures, which met the arguments most frequently advanced against the original Constitution. Of these, 10 amendments were approved (or ratified) and became the Bill of Rights. These amendments defined citizens' rights in relation to the newly established government under the Constitution.
The Bill of Rights was finally ratified on December 15, 1791, by three-fourths of the state legislatures, constituting the first 10 amendments of the Constitution. The amendments include protections for freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to bear arms. They also outline the powers of the federal government and the rights retained by the states and the people.
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The Constitution has 27 amendments
The United States Constitution, which superseded the Articles of Confederation in 1789, has been amended 27 times. The first ten amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. These amendments offer specific protections of individual liberty and justice and place restrictions on the powers of government within US states.
The process of ratifying the Constitution was a long and arduous one. The document was signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to approve it. However, it was not until May 29, 1790, that Rhode Island approved the document, and it was ratified by all states. The Bill of Rights was ratified at the end of the following year, and the location of the capital was set on July 16, 1790.
The majority of the 17 later amendments expand individual civil rights protections. Others address issues related to federal authority or modify government processes and procedures. Amendments to the United States Constitution, unlike those made to many constitutions worldwide, are appended to the original document, which remains untouched.
The process of proposing and ratifying amendments is also a lengthy one. Members of the House and Senate propose around 150 amendments during each two-year term of Congress. However, most never make it out of the Congressional committees in which they are proposed, and only a fraction of those receive enough support to enter the constitutional ratification process. Six amendments approved by Congress and proposed to the states for consideration have not been ratified by the required number of states and are technically still pending.
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The US Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation
The US Constitution has been in place since 1789, and it superseded the Articles of Confederation, which was the nation's first constitution. The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and served as the United States' first constitution. It was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789, when the present-day Constitution went into effect.
The Articles of Confederation gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had several limitations. It lacked enforcement powers, could not regulate commerce, and could not print money. The central government's power was quite limited, and the states retained considerable power. This led to disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade, threatening to tear the young country apart.
Recognizing the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, several prominent political thinkers, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, feared their country was on the brink of collapse. They advocated for a stronger central government and worked to revise the Articles of Confederation. In May 1787, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia, and the delegates ultimately wrote a new constitution, creating a powerful central government.
The US Constitution, which came into effect in 1789, established a federal government with three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress; the executive, consisting of the President and subordinate officers; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts. The Constitution also delineated the rights and responsibilities of state governments and their relationship to the federal government. It has been amended 27 times since its implementation, with amendments expanding individual civil rights protections, addressing federal authority, and modifying government processes.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution has been in place since 1789.
The US Constitution was written in 1787.
The US Constitution was written in response to the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which had quickly become apparent to some of America's leaders.
The US Constitution was ratified in 1788, after New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
The US Constitution became operational on March 4, 1789, when the new government commenced proceedings.
