Isabella Carter
The Constitution of the United States of America, commonly referred to as the US Constitution, was signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788. Superseding the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, the US Constitution united its citizens as members of a whole, vesting the power of the union in the people. The Constitution's main provisions include seven articles that define the basic framework of the federal government, which is divided into three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | The Constitution of the United States |
| Opening words | "We the People" |
| Articles | Seven |
| Amendments | 27 |
| First 10 Amendments | The Bill of Rights |
| Date signed | September 17, 1787 |
| Date ratified | June 21, 1788 |
| Date superseded the Articles of Confederation | March 4, 1789 |
| Legislative branch | Bicameral Congress (consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives) |
| Executive branch | President and subordinate officers |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court and other federal courts |
| Federalism | Rights and responsibilities of state governments, relationship to federal government, and shared process of constitutional amendment |
| Extradition | Established between the states |
| Freedom of movement | Legal basis provided |
| Territorial Clause | Congress given power to make rules for disposing of federal property and governing non-state territories |
| Article IV, Section 4 | United States must guarantee each state a republican form of government and protect them from invasion and violence |
| Amendment process | Two steps: adoption and ratification |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation
The Constitution of the United States of America is the operating legal document that defines the basic framework of the federal government. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789.
The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and served as the United States' first constitution. It established a government in which the colonies—now states—retained most of the power, leaving the central government weak. The Articles outlined a Congress with representation not based on population, with each state holding a single vote. This limited the central government's ability to regulate commerce, raise funds, and assemble delegates.
The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation became apparent in the years following the Revolutionary War. The central government lacked the power to regulate commerce, tax, or set commercial policy. It also struggled to support the war effort and was unable to address internal rebellions due to a lack of funds and military power. The 1786 Jay–Gardoqui Treaty with Spain further highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles in foreign policy, as the United States agreed to give up rights to use the Mississippi River for 25 years, which would have economically impacted western states.
In May 1787, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia to address the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation. The delegates quickly realized that the defects in the government's framework could not be remedied by altering the Articles, and thus they authored a new constitution. The Constitution created a separation of powers, establishing three branches of government: the legislative, executive, and judicial. This ensured that power would not be concentrated in a single branch.
The Constitution also gave the federal government more power over money and taxes. It allowed Congress to control interstate commerce, granted the federal government the power to tax individuals, and barred states from creating their own currency. These changes strengthened the central government and addressed the limitations of the Articles of Confederation.
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The document was inscribed by Jacob Shallus
The United States Constitution, which superseded the Articles of Confederation, was signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788. The document was inscribed by Jacob Shallus, a 37-year-old Pennsylvanian clerk, who was also the Assistant Clerk of the Pennsylvania Assembly. Shallus was likely chosen due to his proximity to the Constitutional Convention and his experience in engrossing official documents.
Shallus prepared the 4,500-word text on four parchment pages, measuring 28-3/4 inches by 23-5/8 inches, in a single day—September 16, 1787. He was paid $30 for his work. Shallus used a goose quill and black ink made of iron filings in oak gall, which later turned brownish, to write over 25,000 letters.
The original handwritten document that Shallus engrossed is on display in the Rotunda of the Charters of Freedom at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. Shallus' name does not appear on the document, and his identity as the transcriber was only discovered in 1937 during the 150th anniversary of the Constitution.
Jacob Shallus was the son of German immigrants who had settled in Pennsylvania in 1747 or 1749. He was a merchant in Philadelphia and had served in the Revolutionary War as a quartermaster of Pennsylvania's 1st Battalion. Shallus was married to Elizabeth Melchor, with whom he had eight children, including Francis Shallus, who became an engraver.
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We the People was coined by Gouverneur Morris
The United States Constitution, which came into force on March 4, 1789, superseding the Articles of Confederation, is often simply referred to as "The Constitution". It comprises seven articles that define the basic framework of the federal government.
The opening words of the Constitution are "We the People", which represented a new thought: the idea that the people, not the states, were the source of the government's legitimacy. These words were coined by Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania, who chaired the convention's Committee of Style. Morris has been credited by most historians with authorship of the final version of the preamble, including changing the opening line from "We, the People of the States" to "We, the People of the United States".
Morris was an American statesman, a Founding Father of the United States, and a signatory to the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution. He was an imposing man, standing just over six feet tall, and was known for his romantic life, wit, and beauty. He was a man of high society who notably had a peg leg, the result of losing his leg in a carriage accident when he was 28. He was born into a wealthy landowning family in what is now New York City and studied law under Judge William Smith. He was also one of the most outspoken opponents of slavery among those present at the Constitutional Congress.
Morris was highly influential in shaping the language and structure of the Constitution. He gave more speeches than any other delegate at the convention, a total of 173. He also defended the need for an energetic president, arguing that the president needed sufficient powers and independence to ward off legislative tyranny as the "guardian of the people".
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The Constitution establishes extradition between states
The Constitution of the United States of America is a historic document that outlines the basic framework of the federal government and the rights and responsibilities of its citizens. One of its key provisions is the establishment of extradition between states, also known as interstate extradition or interstate rendition.
Interstate extradition is a process by which a person accused or convicted of a crime in one state is surrendered to another state for trial, sentencing, or punishment. This process is mandated by the Constitution's Article IV, Section 2, also known as the Extradition Clause or the Interstate Rendition Clause. The Clause states that:
> " [I]f any Person guilty of, or charged with, treason, felony, or other high misdemeanor in any state, shall flee from Justice, and be found in any of the [other] United States, he shall, upon demand of the Governor or executive power of the state from which he fled, be delivered up, and removed to the state having jurisdiction of his offence."
The Extradition Clause is not self-executing, and Congress has the power to implement it through legislation. The current law governing interstate extradition is the Extradition Act, which requires the governor of a state to surrender fugitives from justice to the demanding state upon a lawful request. This Act extends beyond the terms of the Extradition Clause by allowing territories, in addition to states, to request rendition.
While the Extradition Clause establishes the general principle of interstate extradition, the specific procedures and requirements are outlined in federal laws such as the United States Code (18 U.S.C § 3182) and the Uniform Criminal Extradition Act (UCEA). These laws provide the framework for the extradition process, ensuring that the accused or convicted person is properly notified, that the necessary documentation is provided, and that the person's identity and the nature of the charges are verified.
The Constitution, through the Extradition Clause, plays a crucial role in enabling interstate extradition and ensuring that justice can be served across state lines in the United States. This provision has facilitated the transfer of fugitives from one state to another, upholding the rule of law and maintaining a crucial aspect of the nation's criminal justice system.
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There have been 27 amendments to the Constitution
The Constitution of the United States, also known as the US Constitution, is a fundamental piece of legislation that has had 27 amendments since its ratification in 1788. The rigorous amendment process is laid out in Article V of the Constitution, which has made it particularly challenging to amend compared to other countries. The two-step process first requires a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives or a national convention called by two-thirds of the state legislatures. The second step requires ratification by three-fourths of the states, either through the consent of state legislatures or state ratifying conventions. This high threshold ensures that amendments have broad support across the country, with only the most necessary changes being added.
The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791, and include the First Amendment, which guarantees essential freedoms such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. These freedoms form the foundation of American democracy and allow citizens to express their opinions and engage in civic life without fear of government interference. The Second Amendment is also part of the Bill of Rights, which protects the right to keep and bear arms.
The most recent amendment, the 27th, was ratified in May 1992 by Michigan and concerns the timing and compensation of senators and representatives. It took 202 years and seven months to ratify, demonstrating the lengthy process often involved in amending the Constitution.
The amendment process can be initiated by Congress or by a national convention, with the former being the more popular option. The Congressional process limits the scope of changes to a specific right or topic, whereas the convention process could potentially open up the entire document to alteration. While there have been over 11,000 proposed amendments, only 33 have passed the first step in Congress, highlighting the challenging nature of the amendment process.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution is formally known as the "Constitution for the United States of America".
The first words of the US Constitution are "We the People".
The phrase "We the People" signifies the idea that the people, not the states, are the source of the government's legitimacy.
