Isabella Carter
The United States Constitution, which lays out the system of government and the rights of the American people, was written and signed in 1787, years after the end of the Revolutionary War. It was ratified in 1788 and became the supreme law of the land. The Constitution was penned by a group of delegates, many of whom had fought in the Revolutionary War. The delegates, also known as the framers of the Constitution, included merchants, farmers, bankers, and lawyers.
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What You'll Learn
The Articles of Confederation
The Constitution of the United States is the foundation of the American Government. It outlines the system of government and the rights of the American people. The Constitution was written and signed by a group of delegates in 1787, years after the Revolutionary War ended, and was ratified in 1788.
Before the Revolutionary War, each state had its own constitution. After the war, the states joined together to set up a Federal Government under the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation, crafted during the American Revolution and adopted by the Second Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, served as the United States' first constitution and framework of national government. It was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789, when the present-day Constitution went into effect.
Fearing that their country was on the brink of collapse, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington helped convince Congress to organize a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May of 1787, and the final draft of the Constitution was signed by delegates on September 17, 1787.
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The Constitutional Convention
The Articles of Confederation had been crafted during the American Revolution and ratified in 1781. However, it lacked enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, and couldn't print money. This led to disputes between the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade, threatening to tear the young nation apart.
James Madison of Virginia, Alexander Hamilton of New York, and George Washington, feared the collapse of their country and helped convince Congress to organize a convention of state delegates to revise the Articles of Confederation. While most delegates arrived assuming they would discuss improvements to the existing Articles, they eventually agreed on the need for a new system of government.
The convention was attended by delegates from all the original states except Rhode Island. Many of these delegates had fought in the Revolutionary War and served in Congress. They elected George Washington, a proponent of a stronger national government, to serve as president of the convention.
The delegates debated various issues, including the role of the executive, the insertion of a fugitive slave clause, and representation in Congress. They ultimately created a model of government that relied on a series of checks and balances by dividing federal authority between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. This new constitution established a federal government with more specific powers, including those related to conducting foreign relations.
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Ratification
The US Constitution was written and signed by a group of delegates in 1787, years after the Revolutionary War was over. The delegates, who also became known as the "framers" of the Constitution, were a well-educated group that included merchants, farmers, bankers, and lawyers. Many had served in the Continental Army, colonial legislatures, or the Continental Congress. George Washington, who had become a national hero after leading the Continental Army to victory during the American Revolution, was selected as president of the convention by unanimous vote.
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May of 1787. The delegates debated what should be included in the Constitution. Large states felt that they should have more representation in Congress, while small states wanted equal representation. The leaders created a bicameral legislative branch, which gave equal representation to each state in the Senate and representation based on population in the House of Representatives. The Constitution also created executive and judicial branches to set up a system of checks and balances. All three branches would have power so that no one branch could become more powerful than another.
The delegates appointed a Committee of Detail to put its decisions in writing. Near the end of the convention, a Committee of Style and Arrangement condensed 23 articles into seven in less than four days. 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.
The Constitution did not go into effect immediately after it was signed by the delegates. It needed to be approved by the people through the state ratification process. Article VII of the Constitution established that ratification by nine of the 13 states was sufficient for the establishment of the Constitution. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify, and the Confederation Congress established March 4, 1789, as the date to begin operating a new government under the Constitution.
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The Bill of Rights
The US Constitution, written in 1787 and ratified in 1788, was indeed written after the American Revolution, which took place between 1775 and 1783. The Constitution is the foundation of the American government, outlining the system of government and the rights of the American people.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. Written by James Madison, these amendments list specific prohibitions on governmental power. They were written in response to calls from several states for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties. The Bill of Rights protects basic freedoms of United States citizens and limits the powers of the federal government.
The Second Amendment, for example, protects the right to keep and bear arms. The Third Amendment prevents the government from forcing homeowners to allow soldiers to use their homes. The Fourth Amendment bars the government from unreasonable search and seizure of an individual or their private property. The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for people accused of crimes, including the right against self-incrimination and the right to not be imprisoned without due process of law. The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections to people accused of crimes, such as the right to a speedy and public trial and trial by an impartial jury. The Seventh Amendment extends the right to a jury trial in Federal civil cases. The Eighth Amendment bars excessive bail and fines and cruel and unusual punishment. The Ninth Amendment states that listing specific rights in the Constitution does not mean that people do not have other rights that have not been spelled out. The Tenth Amendment says that the Federal Government only has those powers delegated in the Constitution.
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Amendments
The United States Constitution is the foundation of the American government. It outlines the system of government and the rights of the American people. The Constitution has been amended several times since its ratification in 1788, with 27 amendments in total. The first ten amendments are collectively known as the Bill of Rights, which was ratified in 1791. The process of amending the Constitution is outlined in Article Five, which involves two steps: proposing and ratifying the amendment. This process ensures a balance between flexibility and stability in the nation's governance.
The amendments to the Constitution have played a significant role in shaping the country's history and protecting the rights of its citizens. For instance, the Reconstruction Amendments (the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments) were enacted after the Civil War to abolish slavery and promote equality for African Americans.
The process of amending the Constitution is designed to be deliberate and thoughtful. Since 1789, there have been approximately 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution, with members of the House and Senate proposing around 200 amendments during each two-year term of Congress. However, only a small fraction of these proposals have become part of the Constitution. The last time a proposal gained sufficient support in both the House and the Senate for submission to the states was in 1978, with the District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment.
The amendments to the Constitution have addressed a range of issues, including voting rights, territorial disputes, war pensions, taxation, and trade. They have also helped transform the Constitution by adding a Bill of Rights, abolishing slavery, promoting freedom and equality, and extending voting rights to groups such as African Americans and women. The amendments are a testament to the adaptability and longevity of the Constitution, ensuring that it remains a living document capable of evolving with the needs and values of the American people.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the U.S. Constitution was written and signed in 1787, years after the Revolutionary War ended in 1783.
The U.S. Constitution lays out the system of government and the rights of the American people.
Before the Constitution, the U.S. government was governed by the Articles of Confederation, which created a loose confederation of states and a weak central government.
The Articles of Confederation gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money.
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was called to revise the Articles of Confederation. The delegates, however, ended up drafting a new form of government with three branches—executive, legislative, and judicial—and a system of checks and balances to ensure no single branch became too powerful.
