
The Constitution of the United States is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution was written during the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by 55 delegates to a Constitutional Convention.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union |
| Date | 1777 |
| Superseded | The Articles of Confederation |
| Date Superseded | March 4, 1789 |
| Number of Articles | Seven |
| Separation of Powers | Yes |
| Legislative Branch | Bicameral Congress |
| Executive Branch | President and subordinate officers |
| Judicial Branch | Supreme Court and other federal courts |
| Number of Delegates | 55 |
| Number of Signatories | 39 |
| Date Signed | September 17, 1787 |
| Location of Signing | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Date of Drafting | May 25, 1787 - September 17, 1787 |
| Location of Drafting | Independence Hall, Philadelphia |
| Number of States Represented | 12 |
| State Not Represented | Rhode Island |
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What You'll Learn
- The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the first constitution
- The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation
- The Constitution was drafted by 55 delegates
- The Constitution was signed by 39 members
- The Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the first constitution
The Articles of Confederation was the country's first written constitution. It was superseded by the Constitution of the United States on March 4, 1789. The Constitution was written during the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by 55 delegates to a Constitutional Convention. The drafting of the Constitution, often referred to as its framing, was completed at the Constitutional Convention, which assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787. The Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world.
The Constitution's 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 Constitution was the product of political compromise after long and often rancorous debates over issues such as states' rights, representation, and slavery.
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The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation
The Constitution of the United States is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. It is the supreme law of the United States of America. The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789.
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. The Second Continental Congress, convened in Philadelphia in what is now Independence Hall, functioned as the provisional government of the United States from September 5, 1774, to March 1, 1781.
The drafting of the Constitution, often referred to as its framing, was completed at the Constitutional Convention, which assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787. Delegates to the convention were chosen by the state legislatures of 12 of the 13 original states; Rhode Island refused to send delegates. The convention's initial mandate was limited to amending the Articles of Confederation, which had proven highly ineffective in meeting the young nation's needs. Almost immediately, however, delegates began considering measures to replace the Articles. The Constitution was the product of political compromise after long and often rancorous debates over issues such as states' rights, representation, and slavery.
The Constitution's 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).
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The Constitution was drafted by 55 delegates
The Constitution of the United States is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. It is the supreme law of the United States of America. The Constitution 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 Second Continental Congress, which functioned as the provisional government of the United States, was convened in Philadelphia in what is now Independence Hall, from September 5, 1774, to March 1, 1781.
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The Constitution was signed by 39 members
The Constitution of the United States is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution was signed by 39 members of the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787. The signing of the Constitution is immortalised in a painting by Howard Chandler Christy.
The Constitution was written during the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 55 delegates were chosen by the state legislatures of 12 of the 13 original states to attend the convention; Rhode Island refused to send delegates. The convention's initial mandate was limited to amending the Articles of Confederation, which had proven highly ineffective in meeting the young nation's needs. However, delegates almost immediately began considering measures to replace the Articles. The Constitution was the product of political compromise after long and often rancorous debates over issues such as states' rights, representation, and slavery.
The Constitution's 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).
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The Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force
The Constitution of the United States is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. 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 is the supreme law of the United States of America. It was written during the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by 55 delegates to a Constitutional Convention that was called ostensibly to amend the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution was the product of political compromise after long and often rancorous debates over issues such as states' rights, representation, and slavery. The drafting of the Constitution, often referred to as its framing, was completed at the Constitutional Convention, which assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787. The Constitution's 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 first permanent constitution, it is interpreted, supplemented, and implemented by a large body of federal constitutional law and has influenced the constitutions of other nations.
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Frequently asked questions
The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the first constitution of the United States.
The first constitution was written in 1777.
The Articles of Confederation were superseded by the Constitution of the United States, which is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world.

























