Eleanor Finch
The Constitution of the United States is a founding document that outlines the country's governmental framework, federalism, and Bill of Rights. Written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789, it is the world's longest-surviving written charter of government. The Constitution is considered a founding document as it acted as a merger, uniting a group of states with different interests, laws, and cultures under a single national government. It is one of three documents known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, which also include the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. These documents are fundamental to the philosophy and establishment of the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date written | 1787 |
| Date ratified | 1788 |
| Date in operation | 1789 |
| Amendments | First 10 constitute the Bill of Rights |
| Amendments ratified | 1791 |
| Author | James Madison |
| President of the Convention | George Washington |
| Writer of final language | Gouverneur Morris |
| Unites citizens | Yes |
| Unites states with different interests, laws and cultures | Yes |
| Vesting power of union in | The people |
| Purpose | To form a more perfect union |
| To establish justice | |
| To ensure domestic tranquility | |
| To provide for common defence | |
| To promote general welfare | |
| To secure the blessings of liberty |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution's role in uniting states
The United States Constitution, along with the Declaration of Independence, is considered a founding document of the United States. It is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force, ratified in 1788 and in operation since 1789.
The Constitution was written to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for the people. The document's preamble states: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, which had proven ineffective in meeting the young nation's needs. The Constitution's first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, consisting of a bicameral Congress (Article I); the executive, consisting of the President and subordinate officers (Article II); and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts (Article III).
The Constitution also delineates the rights and responsibilities of state governments and their relationship to the federal government. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, guarantee essential rights and liberties and place restrictions on the powers of the government within the states. These rights were inspired by English law and the literature of republicanism in the United States, influenced by European Enlightenment thinkers.
The Constitution has been amended 27 times since it came into operation, with the majority of amendments expanding individual civil rights protections and addressing issues related to federal authority. It has influenced the constitutions of other nations and is considered instrumental in the founding and philosophy of the United States.
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The Bill of Rights
The Constitution is one of the founding documents of the United States, along with the Declaration of Independence, which expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain. The first ten amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of Rights.
The House approved 17 amendments, of which the Senate approved 12, which were sent to the states for approval in August 1789. Ten of the proposed 12 amendments were ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures on December 15, 1791. The ratified Articles (Articles 3–12) constitute the first 10 amendments of the Constitution, or the U.S. Bill of Rights.
The amendments of the Bill of Rights add to the Constitution specific guarantees of personal freedoms, such as freedom of speech, the right to publish, practice religion, possess firearms, assemble, and other natural and legal rights. The Fourth Amendment, for example, safeguards citizens' right to be free from unreasonable government intrusion in their homes through the requirement of a warrant. The concepts codified in these amendments are built upon those in earlier documents, especially the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), the Northwest Ordinance (1787), the English Bill of Rights (1689), and the Magna Carta (1215).
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The Declaration of Independence
The Second Continental Congress convened at the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, in the colonial capital of Philadelphia. These delegates became known as the Founding Fathers of the nation. Two days prior to the Declaration's adoption, the Second Continental Congress passed the Lee Resolution, which established that the British had no governing authority over the Thirteen Colonies.
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The Constitution's interpretation and analysis
The US Constitution, along with the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, are considered the founding documents of the United States. These documents are known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, and they have secured the rights of the American people for over two centuries.
The Constitution was written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and has been in operation since 1789, making it the world's longest-surviving written charter of government. It acted as a colossal merger, uniting a group of states with different interests, laws, and cultures under a single national government. The Constitution vested power in the people, uniting its citizens as members of a whole.
James Madison, the principal author of the Constitution, is known as the "Father of the Constitution" due to his significant contributions to the formation of the new government. Madison played a crucial role in shaping the early American republic and determining its form. Gouverneur Morris wrote the Constitution's final language, and it was then sent to the states for ratification.
The ratification process was not without challenges. While many state conventions ratified the Constitution, there were also calls for amendments to specifically protect individual rights from encroachment by the federal government. James Madison recognised the importance of securing the adoption of the Constitution by key states such as Virginia and New York. He promised that a Bill of Rights would be added after ratification, which helped reassure the conventions in these states. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791, guaranteeing essential rights and liberties.
The Constitution has been subject to interpretation and analysis, with legal analyses based primarily on Supreme Court case law. The document has also evolved over time, with changes and additions made over the past 200 years, including addressing typographical and congressional errors in various versions. The Constitution Annotated is a key research tool used to analyse and explore all provisions of the Constitution.
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Amendments and changes
The US Constitution, written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789, is the world's longest surviving written charter of government. The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791, and guarantee essential rights and liberties.
The US Constitution has been amended 27 times. The 11th Amendment was passed by Congress on March 4, 1794, and ratified on February 7, 1795. It modified Article III, Section 2, of the Constitution, which states that the judicial power of the US "shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State".
The 12th Amendment superseded a portion of Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution. It outlines the process of how Electors should vote for the President and Vice-President, including that they "shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President".
The 14th Amendment modified Article I, Section 2, of the Constitution. It states that all persons born or naturalized in the US and subject to its jurisdiction are citizens of the US and the State in which they reside. It also prohibits any State from making or enforcing any law that abridges the privileges or immunities of US citizens, depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without due process, or denying any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
The 18th Amendment, ratified on December 5, 1933, prohibited the transportation or importation of intoxicating liquors into any State, Territory, or possession of the US for delivery or use in violation of that area's laws.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution is a document that outlines the country's laws and rights and forms a union between the states.
The Constitution is one of the founding documents of the United States, along with the Declaration of Independence. It is the world's longest surviving written charter of government.
Written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789, the Constitution was drafted by James Madison, who is known as the "Father of the Constitution". It was sent to the states for ratification, with nine of the 13 states needing to approve it.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights, guaranteeing essential rights and liberties.
