Isabella Carter
The US Constitution is a powerful document that defines the country and its government. Beginning with the famous words We the People, the Constitution is grounded in the concept of popular sovereignty, where the government is based on the consent of the governed. The US Constitution is responsible for intertwining federal and state powers, dividing governmental power between central and state institutions. The Constitution was ratified in 1787, and its signing is celebrated annually on September 17. How much do you know about the US Constitution?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First three words | We the People |
| Number of branches of government | Three: legislative, executive, and judicial |
| Reason for the Constitutional Convention of 1787 | To amend the Articles of Confederation |
| First ten amendments | The Bill of Rights |
| Federalism | Division of governmental power between central and state institutions |
| Example of concurrent powers | Taxation and building roads |
| Bicameral legislature | Two chambers |
| Number of states needed to ratify the Constitution | Nine |
| Father of the Constitution | James Madison |
| Limit on presidential terms in the original Constitution | Unlimited four-year terms |
| Selection of senators in the original Constitution | By the state legislatures |
| Origination of bills for raising revenue | House of Representatives |
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What You'll Learn
The first three words
The United States Constitution is a powerful document that lays the foundation for the country's government and the rights of its citizens. It is grounded in the concept of popular sovereignty, which means that the government is based on the consent of the governed—the people. The Constitution ensures popular sovereignty through public elections, where people choose their representatives and the president.
The Preamble's reference to "We the People" emphasizes that the government derives its power from the people and exists to serve their interests. It reflects the democratic ideals upon which the nation was founded and underscores the importance of individual rights and freedoms. These three words have become a rallying cry for Americans, reminding them of their collective ownership of the nation and their role in shaping its future.
The phrase "We the People" has also been subject to various interpretations and debates over the years. While it is often understood to mean all citizens of the United States, some scholars and legal experts have discussed the extent to which it includes or excludes certain groups, such as non-citizens, corporations, or other entities. Despite these discussions, the phrase remains a cornerstone of American democracy and a reminder of the nation's commitment to self-governance and the protection of individual liberties.
Understanding the Constitution's Preamble: Its Core Meaning
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The Nineteenth Amendment
The campaign for women's suffrage was long and challenging. It began in the mid-19th century, with several generations of women's rights supporters lecturing, writing, marching, lobbying, and practising civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change to the Constitution. Before 1776, women had the right to vote in several of the colonies that would become the United States. However, by 1807, every state constitution had denied women even limited suffrage.
In 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention in New York adopted the Declaration of Sentiments, calling for equality between the sexes and including a resolution urging women to secure the vote. This is traditionally held as the start of the American women's rights movement. In the following decades, women's rights organisations became more active, using various tactics, including legal arguments based on existing amendments. After these arguments were struck down by the US Supreme Court, activists like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton called for a new constitutional amendment guaranteeing women's suffrage.
In 1878, a suffrage proposal that would eventually become the Nineteenth Amendment was introduced to Congress but was rejected in 1887. In the 1890s, suffrage organisations focused on a national amendment while continuing to work at the state and local levels. The entry of the United States into World War I helped shift public perception of women's suffrage, as women's contributions to the war effort were recognised. By 1916, most major suffrage organisations united behind the goal of a constitutional amendment. President Woodrow Wilson announced his support for the amendment in 1918, and it passed in 1919.
However, the Nineteenth Amendment did not ensure full enfranchisement for all women. Despite legally enfranchising 26 million American women, it failed to fully include African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, and Native American women due to discriminatory state voting laws. It would take further decades of struggle to extend voting rights to these minority women.
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Popular sovereignty
The US Constitution's Article V and Article VII further embody popular sovereignty. Article V provides the mechanism for amending the Constitution through the elected representatives of the people. Article VII required that nine states approve the proposed framework before it could become the supreme law of the land. This was achieved through ratifying conventions where the people of the states chose their representatives to approve the Constitution on their behalf.
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Bicameral legislature
Bicameralism is a type of legislature composed of two separate assemblies, chambers, or houses. As of 2022, approximately 40% of the world's national legislatures are bicameral, while unicameralism represents 60% nationally and much more at the subnational level.
The United States Constitution establishes a bicameral legislature, which consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives acts as the "lower house", while the Senate acts as the "upper house" or "upper chamber". However, the lawmaking process can begin in either chamber.
The Founding Fathers of the United States favoured a bicameral legislature. The idea was for the Senate to be wealthier and wiser, acting as a stabilising force. Senators would be more knowledgeable and deliberate, providing a counter to the "fickleness and passion" that could be present in the House. James Madison, for instance, argued that bicameralism would create two "different bodies of men who might watch and check each other".
The Framers of the Constitution wanted to create a powerful legislative body as part of a system of checks and balances. However, they feared that a single legislative body might become too powerful. They looked to historical models, other countries, and the states to determine the form Congress would take. Many of the historical republics studied had bicameral legislatures, as did the Parliament of Great Britain, which was based on two social orders: the hereditary aristocracy represented in the House of Lords, and the freeholders of the land represented in the House of Commons.
At the North Carolina Ratifying Convention on July 24, 1788, William R. Davie spoke of the advantages of a bicameral legislature, stating:
> "In order to form some balance, the departments of government were separated, and as a necessary check, the legislative body was composed of two branches. Steadiness and wisdom are better insured when there is a second branch, to balance and check the first. The stability of the laws will be greater when the popular branch, which might be influenced by local views, or the violence of party, is checked by another, whose longer continuance in office will render them more experienced, more temperate, and more competent to decide rightly."
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Ratification
The road to ratification was long and challenging. The Articles of Confederation, which served as the country's governing document prior to the Constitution, were deemed insufficient for ensuring future stability and a stronger, more centralized government. As a result, Alexander Hamilton led the call for a constitutional convention, which took place in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787, with representatives from all 13 states in attendance. The convention's initial purpose was to amend the Articles of Confederation, but it ultimately resulted in the creation of a new form of government.
The new US Constitution was signed by 38 out of 41 delegates on September 17, 1787, but it was agreed that it would not come into force until it was ratified by nine of the 13 states. Hamilton and James Madison led the lobbying efforts, producing "The Federalist Papers," a collection of 85 essays explaining and defending the proposed new government. The first state to ratify was Delaware on December 7, 1787.
The Constitution was not ratified by all 13 states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document. Even after ratification, the US did not function as it does today until several years later. The capital, for instance, was not established until July 16, 1790. Furthermore, the Bill of Rights, which includes the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was not ratified until December 15, 1791.
The process of amending and ratifying the Constitution is outlined in Article Five. Proposals to amend the Constitution must be adopted by either two-thirds of both houses of Congress or a national convention requested by two-thirds of state legislatures. Once a proposal is passed, Congress decides on the ratification method: consent of state legislatures or state ratifying conventions. An amendment becomes part of the Constitution when ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50).
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