Omar Bennett
The United States Constitution, written and signed in 1787, was a charter of government that served as the supreme law of the land. It was a powerful vision of freedom, inspiring the world with its democratic ideals and putting governance in the hands of the people. The Constitution was not immediately effective upon signing and required a ratification process, which included approval by the people. The journey to ratification was challenging, with disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatening to tear the young nation apart. The Federalists, who advocated for a strong central government, faced opposition from the Anti-Federalists, who were concerned about the concentration of power and the absence of a bill of rights. The ratification campaign culminated in a compromise, leading to the Constitution becoming the official framework of the US government in 1788 when the required number of states ratified it. The Constitution has endured as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions globally, shaping the country's future and influencing the spread of democratic ideals worldwide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date written and signed | September 17, 1787 |
| Location written and signed | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Number of delegates who signed | 38 out of 41 delegates present |
| Type of government | Federal government |
| Number of states required for ratification | 9 out of 13 |
| First state to ratify | Delaware |
| Date officially ratified | June 21, 1788 |
| Date of first federal elections | December 15, 1788 |
| Date new government began | March 4, 1789 |
| First President | George Washington |
| First Vice President | John Adams |
| Date all states ratified | May 29, 1790 |
| Date Bill of Rights ratified | December 15, 1791 |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 of the 41 delegates present, establishing the government of the United States. The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of a process that began with the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in May 1787. The Convention was convened to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution but had several shortcomings, including a lack of enforcement powers and the inability to regulate commerce or print money.
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention, including notable figures such as George Washington, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton, drafted the Constitution in secret over the summer of 1787. The final draft, presented on September 12, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. The Constitution established a powerful central government, reflecting the concerns of the time about the young country's stability and the need for a stronger federal authority.
The signing of the Constitution was a significant moment in American history, but the document's impact extended beyond the creation of a new government. It embodied the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. This framework, outlined in the first three articles of the Constitution, provided a check and balance system to prevent the concentration of power in a single branch.
The Constitution also included an introductory paragraph, known as the Preamble, which laid out the purposes of the new government. The Preamble begins with the words "We the People," signifying that the government derived its legitimacy from the people, not the states. This was a significant shift in thinking and represented a new era in how governments were formed and perceived.
The process of ratifying the Constitution was not without challenges. While some states were pro-Constitution, others were opposed to it due to concerns about centralization of power and the lack of a bill of rights. The Anti-Federalists fought against the Constitution, while the Federalists, led by Hamilton and Madison, lobbied for its ratification. The former argued that the Constitution created a powerful central government reminiscent of the one they had just overthrown. However, the Federalists were able to secure enough votes, and on June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, enacting the new government.
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Ratification by 9 of the 13 states enacted the new government
The founding fathers set the terms for ratifying the Constitution, bypassing the state legislatures and calling for special ratifying conventions in each state. Ratification by nine of the thirteen states was required to enact the new government. This was a challenging process, as only six of the thirteen states reported a pro-Constitution majority. The Federalists, who believed in a strong central government, needed to convert at least three more states. The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, strongly opposed the Constitution because it created a powerful central government and lacked a bill of rights.
The ratification campaign was a close contest. The turning point came in Massachusetts, where the "vote now, amend later" compromise helped secure victory. This compromise led to the Massachusetts Compromise, which resulted in the Bill of Rights. The tide turned, and the Constitution gained support in the remaining holdout states.
On June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it. The journey to ratification was long and challenging, but the new Constitution provided a stronger, more centralized government than the Articles of Confederation, which had been in place previously.
The process of amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V. Proposals to amend the Constitution must be properly adopted and ratified before they can change it. Amendments can be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives or by a national convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures. The proposal then goes to the states for ratification, with three-fourths of the states' approval required.
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Amendments must be proposed and ratified to change the Constitution
The United States Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. It is no surprise, then, that the process of amending it is a complex and detailed one. The authority to amend the Constitution is derived from Article V of the Constitution, which outlines the procedure for doing so.
Amending the Constitution involves a two-step process. Firstly, a proposal for an amendment must be adopted. This can be done in one of two ways: either by a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, or by a national convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures. This first method has been the approach for all 27 amendments to the Constitution to date. The proposal is made in the form of a joint resolution, which is forwarded directly to the National Archives and Records Administration's (NARA) Office of the Federal Register (OFR) for processing and publication. The OFR then adds legislative history notes to the joint resolution and publishes it in slip law format.
The second step in the amendment process is ratification. Once the proposal has been adopted, Congress must decide on the method of ratification: either by state legislatures or by state ratifying conventions. The proposed amendment and the chosen method of ratification are sent to the OFR, which submits the proposal to the states. To date, the convention method of ratification has only been used once, for the Twenty-first Amendment. For an amendment to be ratified, three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50) must approve it, either through the consent of their state legislatures or by state ratifying conventions.
The OFR plays a crucial role in the amendment process. It examines ratification documents for facial legal sufficiency and an authenticating signature. Once an amendment has been ratified by the required number of states, the OFR drafts a formal proclamation for the Archivist to certify that the amendment is valid and has become part of the Constitution. This certification is published in the Federal Register and U.S. Statutes at Large, serving as official notice to Congress and the nation that the amendment process has been completed.
The process of amending the Constitution is a rigorous and meticulous one, designed to ensure that any changes made are carefully considered and widely supported.
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The Constitution is the supreme law of the land
The Constitution of the United States is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. It is a charter of government that continues to be the supreme law of the land. The basic theory of American judicial review is that the written Constitution is the fundamental law within the states. It can only be changed by an extraordinary legislative process of national proposal, followed by state ratification. The powers of all departments are limited to the enumerated grants found in the Constitution. Courts are expected to enforce the provisions of the Constitution as the supreme law of the land and to refuse to enforce anything in conflict with it.
The Constitution was written during the Philadelphia Convention, now known as the Constitutional Convention, which convened from May 25 to September 17, 1787, and was signed on the final day. The delegates tasked with revising the existing government came up with a completely new form of government. Representing wildly different interests and views, they crafted compromises. The Constitution was written in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall, in Philadelphia. This was the same place the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
The Constitution did not go into effect immediately after it was signed. It needed to be ratified by the people. The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution. They bypassed the state legislatures, calling for special ratifying conventions in each state. Ratification by 9 of the 13 states was required to enact the new government. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it.
The procedure for amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V. There are two steps in the amendment process. Proposals to amend the Constitution must be properly adopted and ratified before they can change the Constitution. First, there are two procedures for adopting the language of a proposed amendment: either by a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, or by a national convention (which can be called whenever two-thirds of the state legislatures collectively request one). Once the proposal has passed by either method, Congress decides whether the proposed amendment is to be ratified by state legislatures or by state ratifying conventions. The proposed amendment, along with the method of ratification, is sent to the Office of the Federal Register, which submits it to the states. To date, the convention method of proposal has never been tried, and the convention method of ratification has only been used once, for the Twenty-first Amendment.
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The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790
The United States Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in the world. It was signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787, with an additional signature by George Reed on behalf of 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 form of government.
The Constitution faced opposition from Anti-Federalists, who believed that it created a powerful central government reminiscent of the one they had overthrown and that it lacked a bill of rights. Despite this opposition, the process of ratifying the Constitution began, with Delaware becoming the first state to ratify it on December 7, 1787. The ratification of the Constitution required the approval of 9 out of 13 states, and this was achieved through a series of compromises and negotiations.
The ratification process was not without challenges and controversies. The Federalists, who supported the Constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it, engaged in passionate debates and even resorted to unconventional methods to secure votes. The ratification of the Constitution was a gradual process, with each state considering and voting on the document. The “vote now, amend later” compromise played a crucial role in securing victory in several states, including Massachusetts, which was a key turning point.
However, it took until May 29, 1790, for all 13 states to ratify the Constitution, when Rhode Island finally approved the document. The Bill of Rights, which addressed concerns about the protection of rights, was not ratified until the end of 1791. The location of the capital was also a subject of negotiation, with Thomas Jefferson's Residence Act setting the capital along the Potomac River, giving the South increased influence.
The Constitution's journey after its ratification is also noteworthy. It remained in the custody of the Department of State, traveling with the federal government to various locations. In 1814, it was secretly moved to Leesburg, Virginia, to protect it from the imminent British attack on Washington. The document continued to be preserved and exhibited, eventually finding a home in the Library of Congress in 1921.
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Frequently asked questions
Once the US Constitution was written, it was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 out of 41 delegates present. It then needed to be ratified by the people through a long and arduous process.
Ratification by 9 of the 13 states was required to enact the new government. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it on June 21, 1788.
The US Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. It put governance in the hands of the people and has been an inspiration that changed the trajectory of world history. It established a powerful central government and outlined the frame of the federal government, dividing it into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial.
