Eleanor Finch
The US Constitution is a rigid document, meaning its provisions cannot be legally changed with the same ease as ordinary laws. It consists of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The Constitution contains 4,543 words, including the signatures of 39 of the 55 delegates representing the states. How does this word count compare to other important documents or works of literature?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of words in the Preamble of the US Constitution | 52 |
| Number of words in the US Constitution and The Declaration of Independence | 4,543 |
| Number of Amendments to the US Constitution | 27 |
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What You'll Learn
Compared to other constitutions
The US Constitution contains 4,543 words, including the signatures of 39 of the 55 delegates representing the states. It is one of the shortest in the world, guaranteeing relatively few rights compared to other constitutions. For example, a 2012 study found that it contains fewer than half (26 of 60) of the provisions listed in the average bill of rights.
State constitutions in the US are all longer than 8,000 words. The shortest is the Constitution of Vermont, adopted in 1793, which is 8,295 words long. The longest was Alabama's sixth constitution, ratified in 1901, which was about 345,000 words long. However, this was rewritten in 2022. Alabama's constitution is now the longest active written constitution in the world, more than two-and-a-half times the length of the second-longest, the Constitution of India.
The constitutions of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) are based on a series of constitutional documents, including the 1976 Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Territories of Guam and the US Virgin Islands do not have their own constitutions but operate under the Guam Organic Act of 1950 and the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands of 1954, respectively. American Samoa is the only unorganized territory with its own constitution.
The UK, Austria, Finland, and Israel have constitutions that consist of a series of statutes rather than a single document. Canada's constitution is similar, consisting of the 1867 BNA Act and 1982 Constitution Act, as well as other laws that have been "read in" and are considered part of the constitution.
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Compared to other US documents
The US Constitution is made up of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. The document is approximately 4,500 words long.
The US Constitution is not the only written constitution in the country, as each state has its own, too. The District of Columbia, however, does not have a constitution, instead operating under a charter similar to those of major cities. The constitutions of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) are also distinct from the US Constitution. The CNMI constitution was drafted in 1976 and ratified by the people of the islands in 1977, while the Puerto Rican constitution was established in 1952.
State constitutions typically address a wide range of issues that the state deems important enough to include. They often include an outline of the state government's structure and establish a bill of rights, an executive branch, a legislature, and state courts. Many state constitutions also begin with an invocation of God, which is not present in the US Constitution.
The Alabama Constitution is currently the longest active written constitution in the world, more than two and a half times the length of India's constitution, which is the second-longest.
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Compared to other legal documents
The US Constitution is a lengthy document, but how does it compare to other legal documents in terms of word count?
The US Constitution, including its amendments, is around 7,500 words long. This makes it significantly longer than the UK's uncodified collection of constitutional laws and documents, which total around 25,000 words. However, the US Constitution is a mere fraction of the length of India's constitution, which is over 145,000 words long and is the world's lengthiest such document.
The Alabama Constitution, the world's longest active written constitution, is more than two-and-a-half times the length of India's. The US Constitution is around 5,500 words longer than the Alabama Constitution, excluding the 2022 recodification.
The US Constitution is also significantly longer than the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, the first constitution of the United States. The Articles, drafted in mid-June 1777, were around 5,000 words long.
In comparison to other legal documents, the US Constitution is shorter. For example, the US tax code is around 2.4 million words long, and the Code of Federal Regulations, which outlines the rules and regulations for federal agencies, is over 9 million words.
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Compared to the average bill of rights
The US Constitution is composed of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments, also known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791, and form what is known as the "Bill of Rights". The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution to limit federal power and protect individual liberties.
The Bill of Rights was strongly influenced by the Virginia Declaration of Rights, written by George Mason, as well as English documents such as the Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, the English Bill of Rights, and the Massachusetts Body of Liberties. The first three articles of the Bill of Rights address freedom of religion, speech, and the press, as well as the right to peaceably assemble and petition the government. The second article pertains to the right to bear arms, and the third article prohibits the quartering of soldiers in civilian homes without consent.
The fourth, fifth, and sixth amendments to the Constitution, which are part of the Bill of Rights, guarantee the right to be secure in one's person and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, the right to due process of law, and the right to a speedy trial by an impartial jury, respectively. The seventh amendment guarantees the right to a trial by jury in civil cases, while the eighth amendment prohibits excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishments.
The ninth amendment states that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution shall not be construed to deny or disparage other rights retained by the people. The tenth amendment reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or to the people. These two amendments are often referred to as the "catch-all" amendments, as they ensure that the federal government's powers are limited only to those specifically granted by the Constitution, with all other powers being retained by the states or the people.
While the exact word count of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights is unclear, the former is likely significantly longer than the latter, given that it comprises the majority of the document. The Bill of Rights is also notable for its influence on other documents and charters, such as the state constitutions, which in turn influenced the Declaration of Independence.
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Compared to a novel
The length of the US Constitution is often compared to that of a novel. At around 4,500 words, the US Constitution is indeed similar in length to some shorter novels. For example, F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel *The Great Gatsby* is around 47,000 words, while George Orwell's *Animal Farm* is around 29,900 words. On the other hand, Leo Tolstoy's *War and Peace* is around 560,000 words, making it over 100 times longer than the US Constitution.
The length of the US Constitution is due in part to its concise and precise language, which is necessary for a legal document. Each word and phrase has been carefully chosen to ensure clarity and avoid ambiguity. The Constitution's length also reflects the fact that it is a framework document, establishing the structure and principles of the US government, rather than a detailed set of laws or regulations.
In contrast, novels can vary significantly in length, from short novellas to lengthy epic tales. The word count of a novel depends on various factors, including the genre, the complexity of the story, and the author's style. Some novels are intentionally concise, focusing on a single event or character, while others span multiple generations or include intricate subplots that increase the word count.
While the US Constitution may be similar in length to some shorter novels, it is essential to consider their different purposes and structures. The Constitution is a legal document designed to be precise and concise, while novels are creative works of literature that allow for more flexibility in length and style.
Comparing the length of the US Constitution to a novel provides an interesting perspective on word count. While the Constitution's length is appropriate for its purpose as a foundational legal document, novels have more flexibility in length to suit their narrative goals and the author's creative vision.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution contains 4,543 words, including signatures.
The Declaration of Independence has 1,458 words, making the US Constitution around three times longer.
The US Constitution is shorter than the Constitution of Alabama, which is the longest active written constitution in the world. The US Constitution is also longer than the Constitution of India, which is the second-longest active written constitution.
