Malcolm Rivera
The US Constitution, written in 1787, forms the framework of the Federal Government of the United States. Three documents were framed around the Constitution, known as the Charters of Freedom, which include the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and its reasons for separation from Great Britain. The Constitution defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States, and the Bill of Rights defines citizens' and states' rights in relation to the government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of documents | 3 |
| First document | Declaration of Independence |
| Second document | Constitution |
| Third document | Bill of Rights |
| Purpose of the first document | Expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain |
| Purpose of the second document | Defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States |
| Purpose of the third document | Defines citizens' and states' rights in relation to the government |
| Number of amendments to the third document | 10 |
| Amendment example | The First Amendment prohibits Congress from making laws establishing religion or abridging freedom of speech |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution's founding documents
The US Constitution is one of the most emulated constitutions in the world. It was written in the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by delegates from 12 states, in order to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new form of government. The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, 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 US Constitution defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States.
The Constitution 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. Ratification by the 13 colonies took more than three years and was completed on March 1, 1781. The final draft, presented to the convention on September 12, 1787, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement, of which Gouverneur Morris was the primary author. The final document was engrossed by Jacob Shallus. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing for John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. It defines citizens' and states' rights in relation to the government. James Madison wrote the amendments, which list specific prohibitions on governmental power, in response to calls from several states for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties. The amendments were influenced by the Virginia Declaration of Rights, written by George Mason, as well as English documents such as the Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, the English Bill of Rights, and the Massachusetts Body of Liberties. The first ten amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of Rights.
The Declaration of Independence is the third document. It expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain.
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The Declaration of Independence
The document was crafted and debated by the delegates of the Second Continental Congress, which served as the provisional government of the United States from 1774 to 1781. The Continental Congress was comprised of delegates chosen from the revolutionary committees of various colonies, rather than through the colonial governments of the Thirteen Colonies. The Declaration of Independence was a culmination of the growing discontent and desire for independence from British rule.
The exact wording of the Declaration of Independence was carefully considered, and it includes a preamble that outlines the reasons for the establishment of a new nation. The declaration asserts the natural rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and it also justifies the right of the people to overthrow a government that infringes upon these rights. This principle, known as the "consent of the governed," is a cornerstone of democratic thought and has had a profound influence on political philosophy.
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The Bill of Rights
The three documents framed around the US Constitution are the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution itself, and the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, and it defines citizens' and states' rights in relation to the government. James Madison, known as the "Father of the Constitution", wrote these amendments to limit government power and protect individual liberties. Madison's amendments were a response to calls from several states for greater constitutional protection of individual liberties.
The fourth amendment safeguards citizens' right to be free from unreasonable government intrusion in their homes by requiring a warrant. The ninth amendment states that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution does not deny or disparage other rights retained by the people. Finally, the tenth amendment reserves powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, to the states or to the people.
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The Articles of Confederation
The three documents framed around the US Constitution are the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
In May 1787, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. By mid-June, they had decided to completely redesign the government. The delegates debated fiercely over congressional representation, whether it should be based on population or divided equally among the states. They compromised by giving each state one representative for every 30,000 people in the House of Representatives and two representatives in the Senate. They also agreed that the slave trade could continue until 1808.
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Ratification and amendments
The US Constitution was written in the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by delegates from 12 states. It was designed to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new form of government, creating a federal system with a national government composed of three separated powers. The delegates to the convention were largely chosen from the revolutionary committees of correspondence in various colonies, rather than through the colonial governments of the Thirteen Colonies. The convention was presided over by George Washington, though James Madison is known as the "Father of the Constitution" due to his significant contributions to the formation of the new government.
The Constitution was sent to the states for ratification in September 1787. The ratification campaign was a close-fought battle, with Federalists and Anti-Federalists on opposite sides. The Federalists believed that a strong central government was necessary to address the country's challenges, while the Anti-Federalists opposed the Constitution as it created a powerful central government that resembled the one they had just overthrown, and because it lacked a bill of rights. The ratification process was completed when Virginia's legislature became the final state to approve the amendments on December 15, 1791.
The Constitution has since undergone several amendments. A proposed amendment becomes part of the Constitution once it is ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50 states at present). There are currently 27 amendments to the Constitution. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were written by James Madison to limit government power and protect individual liberties. They include the right to free speech and worship, freedom from unreasonable government intrusion, and the right to keep and bear arms.
The process of amending the Constitution involves the Archivist submitting a proposed amendment to the states for consideration. Each governor then formally submits the amendment to their state's legislature. Once ratified by a sufficient number of states, the Office of the Federal Register verifies the authenticity of the ratification documents before drafting a formal proclamation for the Archivist to certify the amendment's validity. This certification is published in the Federal Register as official notice of the successful ratification.
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