Simone Lawson
The Constitution of the United States is the foundation of the Federal Government. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Articles of Confederation created a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments. The Constitution, on the other hand, established a powerful central government. It is often called the supreme law of the land; no law may be passed that contradicts its principles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First constitution of the United States | Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union |
| Date of adoption | November 15, 1777 |
| Date of ratification | March 1, 1781 |
| Date of supersedence | March 4, 1789 |
| Number of signatures | 39 |
| Date of signing | September 17, 1787 |
| Number of parts | 3 |
| Number of articles | 7 |
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What You'll Learn
The Articles of Confederation
Once peace removed the rationale of wartime necessity, the weaknesses of the 1777 Articles of Confederation became increasingly apparent. Divisions among the states and even local rebellions threatened to destroy the fruits of the Revolution. Nationalists, led by James Madison, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Wilson, almost immediately began working toward strengthening the federal government.
On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, creating a powerful central government. Representing wildly different interests and views, they crafted compromises. The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation on March 4, 1789, and is often called the supreme law of the land. No law may be passed that contradicts its principles, and it is flexible and allows for changes in the government. The Constitution is known as a "living" document because it can be amended, although in over 200 years there have only been 27 amendments.
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The Constitution's three parts
The Constitution of the United States is the foundation of the federal government and is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution is organised into three parts: the Preamble, the seven Articles, and the Amendments.
The Preamble describes the purpose of the document and the Federal Government. It sets out the reasons for the Constitution and explains why a new form of government was needed. The Preamble also outlines the basic principles and values that the Constitution is based on, such as federalism, separation of powers, and protection of individual liberties.
The seven Articles establish how the government is structured and how the Constitution can be changed. The first three articles embody the doctrine of separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the 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 remaining four articles cover topics such as the relationship between the federal and state governments, the rights and responsibilities of citizens, and the process for amending the Constitution.
The Amendments are changes or additions made to the Constitution over time. The Constitution is a "living" document, which means it can be amended to adapt to the changing needs of the nation. In over 200 years, there have been 27 amendments, addressing issues such as civil rights, voting rights, and the powers of the federal government. The process for amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V, which requires a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress or by a convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures.
The three parts of the Constitution work together to establish a framework for the US government, outlining its structure, powers, and limitations. The Preamble sets the tone and purpose, the seven Articles provide the details, and the Amendments allow for flexibility and change to ensure the government remains responsive to the needs of its citizens.
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The Constitution's seven articles
The Constitution of the United States is the foundation of the federal government. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution's seven articles delineate the frame of the federal government. The first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the 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 fourth article establishes the principles of federalism, granting certain powers to the states while reserving others for the federal government. The fifth article outlines the process for amending the Constitution, requiring ratification by three-fourths of the states. The sixth article establishes the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, with all laws and treaties made under its authority considered the supreme law of the land. The seventh article sets the terms for ratifying the Constitution, bypassing the state legislatures and allowing for direct ratification by the people.
The Constitution was an extraordinary achievement, crafted by delegates representing a wide range of interests and views. It stands today as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world. The first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, created a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments. The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation became increasingly apparent, leading nationalists to work towards strengthening the federal government. The Constitution addressed these issues by creating a powerful central government while also establishing a system of checks and balances to prevent the concentration of power.
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The Constitution's amendments
The Constitution of the United States is the foundation of the Federal Government and is often called the supreme law of the land. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution is known as a "living" document because it can be amended, although in over 200 years there have only been 27 amendments. The Constitution is organised into three parts. The first part, the Preamble, describes the purpose of the document and the Federal Government. The second part, the seven Articles, establishes how the Government is structured and how the Constitution can be changed. The first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, in which the federal government is divided into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the 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 Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the first constitution of the United States. The document was drafted by a committee appointed by the Second Continental Congress in mid-June 1777 and was adopted by the full Congress in mid-November of that year. Ratification by the 13 colonies took more than three years and was completed on March 1, 1781. The Articles created a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments. Once peace removed the rationale of wartime necessity, the weaknesses of the 1777 Articles of Confederation became increasingly apparent. Divisions among the states and even local rebellions threatened to destroy the fruits of the Revolution. Nationalists, led by James Madison, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Wilson, almost immediately began working toward strengthening the federal government.
On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution. George Reed signed for John Dickinson of Delaware, who was absent, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. It was an extraordinary achievement. Tasked with revising the existing government, the delegates came up with a completely new one. Wary about centralised power and loyal to their states, they created a powerful central government. Representing wildly different interests and views, they crafted compromises. It stands today as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world. The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution. They bypassed the state legislatures, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government.
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The Constitution's ratification
The Constitution of the United States is the foundation of the federal government and is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Articles of Confederation were drafted by a committee appointed by the Second Continental Congress in mid-June 1777 and were adopted by the full Congress in mid-November of that year. The Articles gave little power to the central government and left most of the power with the state governments.
The ratification of the Constitution was a significant moment in American history. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing for John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. The delegates were tasked with revising the existing government, but they ended up creating a completely new one. They crafted compromises to represent the different interests and views of the states, resulting in a powerful central government.
The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution, bypassing the state legislatures as they anticipated resistance from members who were reluctant to give up power to a national government. 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 the 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 is known as a "living" document because it can be amended to allow for changes in the government. While it serves as the foundation of the federal government, it is also flexible and adaptable to the needs of a changing nation. Over 200 years, there have been 27 amendments made to the Constitution, demonstrating its ability to evolve and remain relevant.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the Constitution of the United States was not the first government. The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the first constitution of the United States, drafted in 1777 and ratified in 1781.
The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the first constitution of the United States. It was drafted by a committee appointed by the Second Continental Congress in mid-June 1777 and was adopted by the full Congress in mid-November of that year.
The Constitution of the United States was ratified on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates. George Reed signed for John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. It is organised into three parts: the Preamble, the seven Articles, and the Amendments.
The Constitution of the United States is organised into three parts. The first part, the Preamble, describes the purpose of the document and the Federal Government. The second part, the seven Articles, establishes how the Government is structured and how the Constitution can be changed. The third part, the Amendments, allows for changes in the Government.
