Malcolm Rivera
The US Constitution, drafted in 1787, is one of the longest-lived constitutions in the world. Compared to other foundational documents, it is relatively old. The US Constitution has served as a model for governance worldwide, influencing other constitutions in terms of phrasing, principles of rule of law, separation of powers, and recognition of individual rights. The US Constitution, along with the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, form the Charters of Freedom, securing the rights of Americans and shaping the nation's philosophy. The document's longevity and global impact highlight its significance in the history of democracy and nation-building.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 17 September 1787 |
| Location | Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia |
| Signatories | 38 delegates, with George Reed signing for John Dickinson of Delaware |
| Total signatures | 39 |
| Influences | Iroquois Confederacy political concepts, Magna Carta, Enlightenment philosophers (e.g., Montesquieu, Locke), English common law |
| Amendments | First 10 are the Bill of Rights |
| Age | Over 225 years old |
| Display | All four pages are on permanent display at the National Archives |
Explore related products
![Comparison of the Constitutions of 1898 and 1913 : and Other Articles Relating to Former Constitutions and the Supreme Court and Other Courts of Louisiana / by W.O. Hart 1914 [Leather Bound]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/617DLHXyzlL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
The US Constitution is over 200 years old
The US Constitution was influenced by the study of the Magna Carta and other federations, both ancient and modern. The Due Process Clause of the Constitution, for example, was partly based on the Magna Carta (1215), which had become a foundation of English liberty against arbitrary power. The idea of the Separation of Powers in the Constitution was inspired by Enlightenment philosophers such as Montesquieu and John Locke.
The US Constitution was also influenced by the political concepts and ideas of the Iroquois Confederacy, although the extent of this influence is debated by historians. The Constitution was created by delegates from different states with varying interests and views, and it stands as a powerful central government that unites its citizens as members of a whole.
The US Constitution, along with the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, are considered the Charters of Freedom, securing the rights of Americans and forming the foundation of the United States. The Constitution has been amended several times over the past 200 years, with the first ten amendments known as the Bill of Rights.
Executive Power: Altering the Constitution's Fabric
You may want to see also
Influences on the Constitution: Magna Carta, Enlightenment philosophers, Iroquois Confederacy
The US Constitution, dated September 17, 1787, is indeed considered old compared to other founding documents. It is a cornerstone of a type of civil religion, holding together the multi-ethnic, multi-sectarian United States. The Constitution has also served as a model for governance worldwide, influencing other constitutions in phrasing, principles, and the recognition of individual rights.
The US Constitution was influenced by several sources, including the Magna Carta, Enlightenment philosophers, and the Iroquois Confederacy. The Magna Carta, celebrated as a seminal document on the rule of law, likely inspired the US Constitution's emphasis on the same.
The Enlightenment profoundly shaped the US Constitution, with its themes of modernization, skepticism, reason, and liberty. The French Enlightenment, represented by Voltaire, Rousseau, and Diderot, was particularly influential, challenging beliefs in absolute moral, religious, and political authority. James Madison, often regarded as the "Father of the Constitution," was a key figure in this regard, along with John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
The Iroquois Confederacy, a multi-state government formed by six nations (the Mohawks, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida, Seneca, and later the Tuscarora), also significantly influenced the Constitution. The Confederacy offered a real-life example of the political concepts the framers wanted to adopt. While the framers may have viewed Indigenous people as inferior, they admired the Confederacy's federalist principles. John Adams's three-volume handbook for the Constitutional Convention included descriptions of the Iroquois Confederacy and other Indigenous governments, demonstrating their influence on the founding document.
Thus, the US Constitution, though old, remains a living document that has evolved and continues to shape governance worldwide.
The Path to US Citizenship: 9-Year Journey
You may want to see also
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is one of the three documents, along with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, that form the Charters of Freedom, which are considered instrumental to the founding and philosophy of the United States. The Declaration of Independence, written in July 1776, is not legally binding, but it expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for its separation from Great Britain. It states that the 13 colonies were to be ""free and independent states", absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connections with Great Britain were to be dissolved. It also lays out the rights of the people, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and asserts that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed.
The Declaration of Independence was influenced by the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which later provided the foundation for the Bill of Rights. The document was written by Thomas Jefferson and signed by representatives of the 13 united States of America, including Thomas Heyward Jr. and Thomas Lynch Jr. It has been described by Abraham Lincoln as "a rebuke and a stumbling block to tyranny and oppression", and it continues to inspire people worldwide to fight for freedom and equality.
The Declaration of Independence is older than the U.S. Constitution, which was drafted in 1787 and ratified in 1788. The Constitution defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States and outlines the rights of citizens and states in relation to the government. It was influenced by the study of the Magna Carta, the ideas of eighteenth-century Enlightenment philosophers such as Montesquieu and John Locke, and possibly by the political concepts and ideas of the Iroquois Confederacy.
The Charters of Freedom, including the Declaration of Independence, are housed in the Rotunda of the National Archives, where they are maintained under exacting archival conditions. The Rotunda, designed by architect John Russell Pope, features two murals depicting fictional scenes of the "presentations" of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Debt Validation: Understanding Your Rights and FDCPA Protections
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Bill of Rights
The US Constitution is a relatively old founding document, dating back to 1787. The Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was proposed in 1789 and ratified in 1791.
The concepts in the Bill of Rights were influenced by earlier documents, including the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), the Northwest Ordinance (1787), the English Bill of Rights (1689), and the Magna Carta (1215). The Bill of Rights has also influenced other constitutions worldwide, particularly in the recognition of individual rights and the rule of law.
Service Time: Understanding Years of Service in OOTP
You may want to see also
Amendments to the Constitution
The US Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was put into operation on March 4, 1789. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments are collectively referred to as the Reconstruction Amendments.
The process of amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V. Amendments must be properly proposed and ratified before becoming operative. An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds majority vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, or by a national convention called by Congress on the application of two-thirds of state legislatures. To become part of the Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by three-quarters of the states, either through their legislatures or state ratifying conventions. This two-step process was designed to balance the need for change with the need for stability.
The US Constitution has been a notable model for governance worldwide, especially during the 1970s. Its influence can be seen in the similarities in phrasing and borrowed passages in other constitutions, as well as in the principles of the rule of law, separation of powers, and recognition of individual rights. The American experience with fundamental law and amendments has inspired constitutionalists in other nations.
Since 1789, approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress. Members of the House and Senate typically propose around 200 amendments during each two-year term of Congress. However, no proposals made in recent decades have become part of the Constitution. The last proposal to gain the necessary two-thirds support in both the House and the Senate for submission to the states was the District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment in 1978.
The Constitution: Unconstitutional?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was written and signed in 1787. It is the oldest national constitution in the world.
The US Constitution is older than the country's Declaration of Independence, which was written in 1776. The US Constitution is also older than other founding documents such as the Articles of Confederation, which acted as America's first constitution.
The US Constitution is one of the longest-lived constitutions in the world. Its age reflects the document's durability and adaptability. The US Constitution has served as a model for governance worldwide, influencing the principles of the rule of law, separation of powers, and recognition of individual rights in other nations.
