Eleanor Finch
The Constitution of the United States is a lengthy document containing 4,543 words, including the signatures of 39 of the 55 delegates representing the states. The preamble to the Constitution, drafted in just six weeks, sets the stage for the document and communicates the intentions of the framers. The primary purpose of the Constitution was to create a more perfect union, with the preamble outlining five objectives: to establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of words | 4,543 |
| Purpose | To form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution's preamble
The preamble to the US Constitution, drafted in August 1787, expresses the purpose of the document and the intentions of its framers. It is an introduction to the highest law of the land, but it is not the law itself. The preamble does not define government powers or individual rights. Instead, it sets the stage for the Constitution, providing a guidepost to measure progress toward building a prosperous nation.
The preamble begins with the famous words, "We the People," indicating that the federal government derives its power from the people, not the states. This phrasing strengthened the idea that "the people" rather than "the states" created the government. The preamble goes on to state the objectives of the Constitution, which include:
- To form a more perfect Union
- Establish Justice
- Insure domestic Tranquility
- Provide for the common defence
- Promote the general Welfare
- Secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity
These objectives reflect the framers' desire to create a more unified and just nation, ensure peace and security, promote the well-being of the people, and protect their liberties. The preamble's language was influenced by the Declaration of Independence, which declared America's independence from Great Britain in 1776.
The preamble to the US Constitution is a powerful statement of the nation's founding principles and ideals. It serves as a reminder of the purpose and intentions behind the creation of the Constitution, providing a framework for interpreting and understanding the document as a whole.
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The Constitution's history
The United States Constitution, which contains 4,543 words, was proposed on September 17, 1787, by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Constitution was drafted to form a ""more perfect union" and establish justice, domestic tranquility, common defence, general welfare, and peace. It also aimed to secure the blessings of liberty for the people and future generations. The document was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates representing the states, and it was ratified by conventions in each state.
The Constitution of the United States has a long and complex history. The first constitution, The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was drafted by a committee appointed by the Second Continental Congress in mid-June 1777 and was adopted by the full Congress in mid-November of the same year. However, ratification by the 13 colonies took more than three years and was completed on March 1, 1781. This first attempt at a constitution gave little power to the central government, and the Confederation Congress lacked enforcement powers.
The Constitution that was proposed in 1787 replaced the Articles of Confederation and addressed the need for a stronger central government. The Constitutional Convention included delegates with diverse interests, such as George Washington, who was concerned about the lack of financial resources under the Articles. The delegates also made compromises to protect the slave trade and ensure proportional representation in the lower house and equal representation in the Senate.
The Constitution was ratified by nine states in June 1788 and went into effect at that time. Since its passage, there have been 27 amendments, with the first 10 known as the Bill of Rights. The Constitution is considered the supreme law of the land, and it outlines the structure and powers of the government, including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. It also establishes the process for amending the document, requiring a 2/3 vote of both houses to propose an amendment and ratification by 3/4 of the states.
The original document is on display at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. It is considered the highest law of the land, with the power to regulate government actions and interpret fundamental laws. The Constitution has also influenced the development of other nations, such as the Philippines and China, and it continues to be a living document, with courts interpreting and adapting its meaning to changing conditions.
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The Constitution's amendments
The US Constitution is a document that sets out the highest law of the land and forms the basis of the country's government. It is a relatively concise document, with the preamble—the introductory statement of the Constitution's intent—containing just 52 words. The Constitution has been amended several times since its inception, with 27 amendments having been successfully ratified and added to the document.
The process of amending the Constitution is detailed in Article Five, which outlines a two-step process requiring proper proposal and ratification. Amendments can be proposed by the US Congress if a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives deem it necessary, or by a national convention called by Congress on the application of two-thirds of state legislatures. This second option has never been used.
Once an amendment is proposed, it must be ratified to become part of the Constitution. Ratification can occur in two ways: through state ratifying conventions or state legislatures. In either case, three-fourths of the states must approve the amendment for it to pass. The Twenty-first Amendment, ratified in 1933, is the only amendment to date that has repealed an earlier one. It repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, which had established the prohibition of alcohol.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791, are collectively known as the Bill of Rights. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, meanwhile, are known as the Reconstruction Amendments. In addition to the 27 ratified amendments, there have been six amendments proposed by Congress that have not been ratified by the required number of states. Four of these are still pending, while the other two have failed by their own terms or the terms of the proposing resolution.
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The Constitution's ratification
The US Constitution, originally intended as a revision of the Articles of Confederation, introduced a new form of government. The Articles of Confederation, the US's first constitution, was ratified by the 13 colonies on March 1, 1781, and took more than three years to be adopted by the full Congress. However, the Articles gave little power to the central government and the Confederation Congress lacked enforcement powers.
The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and within three days, it was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation, then sitting in the nation's temporary capital, New York City. Members of Congress had the power to reject the proposal, but they voted unanimously to forward it to the 13 states for their ratification. The state legislatures were tasked with organizing "Federal Conventions" to ratify the document. This process ignored the amendment provision of the Articles of Confederation, which required unanimous approval of all the states, and instead, required ratification by just nine of the 13 states—a two-thirds majority.
Two factions soon emerged: the Federalists, who supported the Constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it. The proposal was debated, criticized, and analysed clause by clause. Three delegates from the Philadelphia Convention and members of Congress—Hamilton, Madison, and Jay—published a series of commentaries, now known as The Federalist Papers, in support of ratification. By the end of 1787, three state legislatures had voted in favour of ratification: Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. In 1788, Connecticut and Georgia followed with almost unanimous votes. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify, securing the Constitution's adoption.
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The Constitution's influence on state constitutions
The US Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, is the oldest written constitution of a government still in use. It introduced novel concepts such as checks and balances, separation of powers, and defining said powers. The amendment process also allowed for a living document that could be changed with enough support from the people and ratification by the states.
The US Constitution has had a profound influence on the constitutions of individual states. State constitutions are important documents that set the context and procedures for political processes and governance within the state. They are adaptable and can be replaced or amended entirely when necessary. For example, during the Reconstruction Era, ten southern states adopted new constitutions, and other unionist states changed their constitutions to address the change in status of African Americans.
State constitutions have been amended to address various economic concerns and modify civil liberty provisions. For instance, states have amended their constitutions to curb the power of corporate monopolies and centres of wealth, such as the railroads and banking industries, and to permit workers to unionize and establish workers' compensation funds and minimum wage levels.
The US Constitution has also influenced the constitutions of other nations. Several Latin American countries in the 19th and 20th centuries developed similar constitutions and federalist frameworks of government. Nationalists such as Jose Rizal of the Philippines and Sun Yat-sen of China drew inspiration from the US Constitution in their calls for political reform and basic freedoms.
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Frequently asked questions
4,543 words, including the signatures of 39 of the 55 delegates representing the states.
To create 'a more perfect union'.
The preamble is an introduction to the highest law of the land. It is not the law itself. It does not define government powers or individual rights.
