Omar Bennett
The United States Constitution, the oldest written national constitution in use, was written and signed on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Constitution was created by 55 delegates to a Constitutional Convention and signed by 38 or 39 of the 41 delegates present. The document was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states, with Delaware being the first state to do so on December 7, 1787. The Constitution officially became the framework of the government of the United States of America on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date Written | Summer of 1787 |
| Date Signed | September 17, 1787 |
| Location Written | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Number of Delegates | 55 |
| Number of Signers | 38 or 39 out of 41 |
| Date Ratified | June 21, 1788 |
| Number of States Required for Ratification | 9 out of 13 |
| First State to Ratify | Delaware |
| Date of First Federal Elections | December 15, 1788 |
| Date of Official Implementation | March 4, 1789 |
| First President Elected | George Washington |
| First Vice President Elected | John Adams |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was written and signed in 1787
The US Constitution, the oldest written national constitution in use, was written and signed in 1787. It is the world's longest-surviving written charter of government. The Constitution was written during the Philadelphia Convention, now known as the Constitutional Convention, which convened from May 25 to September 17, 1787. It was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates, and it established the government of the United States.
The Constitutional Convention was conducted under an oath of secrecy. The delegates debated and redrafted the articles of the new Constitution in closed sessions throughout the summer of 1787. The first three words of the Constitution, "
The Constitution was influenced by the country's experience under the Articles of Confederation, which attempted to retain as much independence and sovereignty for the states as possible while assigning only nationally important functions to the central government. However, the Articles were found to be unworkable as they deprived the national government of essential powers, including direct taxation and the ability to regulate interstate commerce. The writers of the Constitution intended to address these issues and create a more effective government.
The Constitution was ratified in 1788 and has been in operation since 1789. It has evolved through amendments to meet the changing needs of the nation, which is now profoundly different from the 18th-century world in which its creators lived. Constitution Day, established by law in 2004, is observed on September 17 to commemorate the signing of the Constitution.
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It was ratified by nine states in 1788
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 or 39 of the 41 delegates present. However, it was not ratified until 1788, when it was approved by nine of the 13 states.
The Constitution was written and signed in Philadelphia in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. This was the same place the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. The Constitution was a charter of government that came to replace the Articles of Confederation, which had been the governing document of the country since its inception.
The Articles of Confederation had been tailored to a newly formed nation of states acting as independent, sovereign countries. However, by 1787, it had become clear to some of America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralized government. Thus, New York's Alexander Hamilton led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document.
The Constitution was ratified by nine states in June 1788, with New Hampshire being the ninth state to approve it. The other eight states to ratify the Constitution before this were Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina.
After the ratification by nine states, Congress set March 4, 1789, as the date for the new government to commence proceedings. The first elections under the Constitution were held in late 1788, and the new government began in 1789 with George Washington as President and John Adams as Vice President.
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The first state to ratify was Delaware
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Constitution was then sent to the states for ratification, and it would become binding once nine of the former 13 colonies had ratified the document.
Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution, doing so unanimously on December 7, 1787, in Dover, Delaware. All 30 delegates to the Delaware Constitutional Convention approved the document, earning the state the nickname "The First State".
Delaware's early ratification of the Constitution was significant, as it set a precedent for other states to follow. It demonstrated the state's commitment to the principles of democracy and self-governance outlined in the Constitution. Delaware's delegates also contributed to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, including proposing a solution to the issue of small versus large state representation.
On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, making federal democracy the law of the land. Government under the US Constitution officially took effect on March 4, 1789.
Delaware's role in ratifying the Constitution is particularly notable given its history as one of the Thirteen Colonies that participated in the American Revolution against Great Britain. The state's early support for the Constitution helped to solidify the establishment of the United States as an independent nation.
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Constitution Day is celebrated on September 17
Constitution Day is celebrated annually on September 17. This date was chosen because it was on September 17, 1787, that 38 to 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the new U.S. Constitution. The Constitution was written during the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by 55 delegates to a convention called ostensibly to amend the Articles of Confederation, the country's first written constitution.
The Constitution has been an inspiration that changed the trajectory of world history for the perpetual benefit of mankind. In 1787, no country in the world had ever allowed its citizens to select their own form of government, much less a democratic one. What was revolutionary about the Constitution when it was written, and what continues to inspire the world today, is that it put governance in the hands of the people.
The United States Constitution is a landmark document of the Western world. It is the oldest written national constitution still in use and is the world's shortest. It defines the principal organs of government and their jurisdictions, as well as the basic rights of citizens. The three separate branches of the U.S. government as established in the Constitution are the legislative, executive, and judicial powers.
The road to ratification was long and arduous. The Constitution was ratified by nine of the 13 states by June 1788, and it became the official framework of the government of the United States of America on March 4, 1789, when George Washington was elected as the first president. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document. The Bill of Rights, or the first ten amendments, were ratified on December 15, 1791.
Constitution Day was established by law in 2004. It is a federal observance that commemorates the U.S. Constitution. The act that established Constitution Day requires any educational institution that receives federal funds to hold an educational program on the Constitution on September 17.
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The Constitution was written in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The U.S. Constitution was written in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1787. The document was signed on September 17 of that year, and this day is now commemorated as Constitution Day. Constitution Day was established by law in 2004, and any educational institution that receives federal funds is required to hold an educational program on the Constitution on September 17.
The Constitution emerged from the Constitutional Convention, which met in Philadelphia between May and September 1787. The convention addressed the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution established a federal government with more specific powers, including those related to conducting relations with foreign governments.
The framers of the Constitution 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. They had originally imagined a weak presidency and a strong legislature, divided into a House of Representatives and a Senate. The Constitution also provided for the establishment of an executive branch to deal with routine paperwork, which had previously bogged down important business.
The Constitution was signed in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. This was the same place where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. The Declaration of Independence was a list of grievances against the King of England intended to justify separation from British rule. The Constitution, on the other hand, was a charter of government that was ratified by the states and became the supreme law of the land.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was written in 1787.
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787.
The US Constitution was ratified in 1788.
