Malcolm Rivera
The US Constitution, written in 1787 and ratified by nine of the original 13 states a year later, has been in place for over 235 years, making it the world's longest-surviving written constitution. The Founding Fathers intended the document to be flexible to accommodate the changing needs of the country. Since the Constitution became operational in 1789, it has been amended 27 times, with the majority of the 17 later amendments expanding individual civil rights protections.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year the U.S. Constitution was written | 1787 |
| Year the U.S. Constitution was ratified | 1789 |
| Number of states that ratified the U.S. Constitution | 9 out of 13 |
| Year the U.S. Constitution was ratified by all states | 1790 |
| Year the Bill of Rights was ratified | 1791 |
| Number of amendments to the U.S. Constitution | 27 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was ratified in 1787
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 out of 41 delegates present, marking the end of the Constitutional Convention. The document outlined a new Frame of Government to replace the Articles of Confederation, which had governed the country since its early days after independence. The Constitution was not a simple replacement, however; it was a radical new blueprint for a federal system of government that would endure for centuries.
The Constitution was the product of months of debate and negotiation among the Founding Fathers, who gathered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 25, 1787. The Convention was convened due to the inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation, which had led to a weak and ineffective central government. The delegates, including George Washington, Robert Morris, and James Madison, grappled with questions of state sovereignty, individual liberties, and the distribution of powers between the branches of government.
The final document, which became the supreme law of the land, established a federal system with a strong central government composed of three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. It guaranteed certain fundamental rights and freedoms, such as freedom of speech and religion, and outlined a system of checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power.
The ratification process for the Constitution began immediately after its signing in 1787. As prescribed by Article VII, the Constitution required ratification by nine of the 13 existing states to take effect. Delaware was the first state to ratify on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. However, some states voiced opposition due to the lack of protection for certain rights.
The Constitution was eventually ratified by the required nine states, with New Hampshire becoming the final state to do so on June 21, 1788. The first federal elections were held from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789, and the new government, with George Washington as President and John Adams as Vice President, took office on March 4, 1789. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island, the final state, approved the document.
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It has been amended 27 times
The US Constitution, written in 1787, has been amended 27 times. It was ratified by nine of the original 13 states a year later, in 1788, and became operational in 1789. It is the world's longest-surviving written constitution.
The first ten amendments, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on 15 December 1791. They offer specific protections of individual liberty and justice and place restrictions on the powers of the government within US states. 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.
The Eighth Amendment (1791) protects people from having bail or fines set at an amount so high that only the richest defendants could pay. It also protects people from being subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. The Ninth Amendment (1791) declares that individuals have other fundamental rights in addition to those stated in the Constitution.
The Sixteenth Amendment (1913) removed existing Constitutional constraints that limited the power of Congress to lay and collect taxes on income. The Eighteenth Amendment (1919) prohibited the making, transporting, and selling of alcoholic beverages nationwide.
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The Bill of Rights was adopted in 1791
The US Constitution has been in place for over 230 years. It was signed in 1787 and came into force in 1789. The Bill of Rights was adopted in 1791, two years after the Constitution came into force.
The Bill of Rights comprises the first ten amendments to the US Constitution and defines citizens' rights in relation to the government. It was largely due to the efforts of Representative James Madison that the Bill of Rights came to be. Madison studied the deficiencies of the Constitution pointed out by Anti-Federalists and crafted a series of corrective proposals. On September 25, 1789, Congress approved twelve articles of amendment and submitted them to the states for ratification. Articles Three through Twelve were ratified as additions to the Constitution on December 15, 1791, and became Amendments One through Ten of the Constitution.
The first ten amendments are as follows:
First Amendment (1791)
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Second Amendment (1791)
A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Third Amendment (1791)
No Soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
Fourth Amendment (1791)
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Fifth Amendment (1791)
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.
Sixth Amendment (1791)
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Seventh Amendment (1791)
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Eighth Amendment (1791)
Protects people from having bail or fines set at an amount so high that it would be impossible for all but the richest defendants to pay, and also protects people from being subjected to cruel and unusual punishment.
Ninth Amendment (1791)
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Tenth Amendment (1791)
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
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The US Constitution is difficult to amend
The US Constitution has been in place since 1787, with the basic framework of the federal government defined across seven articles. The process of amending the constitution is a difficult and time-consuming task. According to Article V, an amendment must be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of state legislatures.
The high bar for amending the constitution is intentional. The framers of the constitution wanted the document to be enduring, capable of meeting future challenges and crises. However, the difficulty in amending the constitution has resulted in only 27 amendments being ratified out of 33 passed by Congress and sent to the states. Since 1789, approximately 11,848 measures have been proposed to amend the constitution, with the last ratified amendment being the 27th Amendment in 1992.
The endurance of the constitution has been tested by significant democratic backsliding in the United States, with many undemocratic institutions persisting despite reforms in other democracies. The close political divide in Congress further complicates the process of amending the constitution, with some proposals, such as President Joe Biden's Supreme Court reform, being declared "dead on arrival" due to the political landscape.
Despite the challenges, proponents of amendments remain persistent, and the process of amending the constitution continues to be a topic of debate and discussion.
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The Articles of Confederation were amended
The US Constitution has been in place for over two centuries, since 1789. Before this, the Articles of Confederation, which served as the nation's first constitution, were in effect from 1781 to 1789.
The Articles of Confederation were the first constitution of the United States, establishing a weak confederal government with limited powers. It was designed to preserve the independence and sovereignty of the original 13 states. However, the Articles were largely a failure as a tool to build a centralized war-making government. The states retained considerable power, and the central government lacked the authority to regulate commerce, settle disputes between states, and compel the states to comply with requests for troops or funding.
The need for a stronger central government was recognised, and in May 1787, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. After three months of highly charged debate, a new Constitution was signed, which remains in effect today. The present-day Constitution has been amended 27 times since it became operational, with the majority of amendments expanding individual civil rights protections and addressing issues related to federal authority and government processes.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution has been in place for over 235 years. It was written in 1787 and ratified by nine of the original 13 states a year later, in 1788.
The US Constitution has 27 amendments. The first ten are collectively known as the Bill of Rights, and they were ratified in 1791.
The Bill of Rights offers protections of individual liberty and justice and places restrictions on the powers of the government within US states.
In 1937, a commemorative postage stamp was released to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the US Constitution.
The US Constitution is the world's longest-surviving written constitution. It has influenced the constitutions of other nations.
