Simone Lawson
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 of the 41 delegates present. The signing took place in Philadelphia, where the Constitutional Convention had convened in May of the same year. The Constitution was drafted in secret, and its four sections established a new form of government, addressing the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which had threatened to tear the young country apart in the years following the Revolutionary War.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of signing | September 17, 1787 |
| Location | Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Number of signers | 39 |
| Previous constitution | Articles of Confederation |
| War preceding the signing | American Revolutionary War |
| Year the preceding war ended | 1783 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787
Recognizing the urgent need for a stronger and more effective national government, influential figures like James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington played a crucial role in convening the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in May 1787. The convention brought together representatives from the states to debate and shape the content of the new Constitution.
The Constitutional Convention grappled with issues such as representation in Congress, with large states advocating for more representation based on population, while small states sought equal representation. The delegates also sought to establish a system of checks and balances by dividing federal authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. This ensured that no single branch would hold excessive power.
The final draft of the Constitution, presented to the convention on September 12, 1787, reflected these compromises and negotiations. Despite some delegates' dissatisfaction and reluctance to sign, the Constitution was formally signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 framers. The document was then submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City within three days of its signing.
The US Constitution, with its three distinct parts—the Preamble, the Articles, and the Amendments—laid the foundation for the American Government and guaranteed the rights of its citizens. It superseded the Articles of Confederation on March 4, 1789, and became the supreme law of the land. The Constitution's basic structure has endured, with amendments made over time to reflect the evolving needs and values of American society.
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The Revolutionary War ended in 1783
The Revolutionary War, also known as the American Revolutionary War or the American War of Independence, ended in 1783. This war was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution. The American Patriot forces, organised as the Continental Army and commanded by George Washington, defeated the British Army.
The war was fought in North America, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic Ocean. The outcome seemed uncertain for most of the war, but Washington and the Continental Army's decisive victory in the Siege of Yorktown in 1781 led King George III and the Kingdom of Great Britain to negotiate an end to the war in the Treaty of Paris two years later, in 1783. This treaty acknowledged the independence of the Thirteen Colonies, leading to the establishment of the United States as an independent and sovereign nation.
The British had to vacate military forts in U.S. territory as per the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which ended the war. However, they refused to do so, citing issues with the enforcement of debts owed by Americans to British subjects and suits by former British loyalists to recover confiscated property. This refusal led to further issues, including British traders flooding U.S. markets with British goods, which harmed American importers and manufacturers.
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, were concerned that their young country was on the brink of collapse due to the Articles of Confederation's limitations. These included the lack of enforcement powers, the inability to regulate commerce, and the inability to print money. The delegates 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.
The U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1789, six years after the end of the Revolutionary War.
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The Articles of Confederation were replaced in 1789
The United States Constitution, which superseded the Articles of Confederation in 1789, was the culmination of years of debate and revision. The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, was established after the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) as a framework for a federal government. However, it soon became apparent that the Articles were ineffective and lacked the necessary powers to govern the young nation effectively.
Under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government faced significant challenges in conducting foreign policy and managing domestic issues. It had no enforcement powers, could not regulate commerce, and lacked the authority to pass or enforce laws that individual states found contrary to their interests. The Confederation Congress, for instance, was unable to regulate trade with Britain, which led to British traders flooding the US markets with their goods, harming American importers and manufacturers.
The Articles also gave rise to disputes between the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade, threatening to tear the country apart. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, fearing the country's collapse, helped convince Congress to organise a Grand Convention of state delegates to revise the Articles. This Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, with General George Washington elected unanimously as its president.
The Convention debated what should be included in the new Constitution, with large states arguing for proportional representation in Congress, while small states wanted equal representation. The final document, presented on September 12, 1787, and signed on September 17, 1787, included seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. The Constitution established a bicameral legislative branch, with the Senate providing equal representation for each state and the House of Representatives providing representation based on population.
Additionally, it created an executive branch, led by the president, and a judicial branch, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts. This system of checks and balances ensured that no single branch held more power than the others. The Constitution also delineated the rights of the American people, with the first ten amendments known as the Bill of Rights. It became law on June 21, 1788, when two-thirds of the states ratified it, and superseded the Articles of Confederation on March 4, 1789.
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The Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, a few years after the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). The war had ended with the 1783 Treaty of Paris, but the US faced challenges due to its inability to enforce laws and regulate trade. The country was on the brink of collapse, with disputes over territory, war pensions, and taxation threatening to tear it apart.
The Constitutional Convention Meets in Philadelphia
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in May 1787. General George Washington was unanimously elected president of the convention. The convention aimed to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was the US's first constitution but lacked enforcement powers and couldn't regulate commerce or print money. Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organise this convention of state delegates to address these issues.
The delegates to the convention created a model of government with a system of checks and balances. They divided federal authority into legislative, judicial, and executive branches, ensuring that no single branch held too much power. Large states gained more representation in Congress, while small states were guaranteed equal representation in the Senate.
The final draft of the Constitution, presented on September 12, 1787, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. Benjamin Franklin, one of the 39 framers, acknowledged his dissatisfaction with certain parts of the document but accepted it as a necessary compromise. The Constitution was formally signed on September 17, 1787, and submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City within three days.
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The US Constitution became law in 1788
The US Constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787, became law on June 21, 1788, when two-thirds of the states ratified it. The 13 colonies that ratified the Constitution later became the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.
The US Constitution is the foundation of the American government and lays out the system of government and the rights of the American people. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, and couldn't print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
The Constitution includes four sections: an introductory paragraph titled Preamble, a list of seven Articles that define the government's framework, an untitled closing endorsement with the signatures of 39 framers, and 27 amendments that have been adopted under Article V. The Preamble, the Constitution's introductory paragraph, lays out the purposes of the new government: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. The first ten Amendments are called the Bill of Rights.
The Constitution was drafted by a Committee of Style and Arrangement, including Alexander Hamilton from New York, William Samuel Johnson from Connecticut, Rufus King from Massachusetts, James Madison from Virginia, and Gouverneur Morris from Pennsylvania. The final document was presented to the convention on September 12, 1787, and was signed by 39 delegates. Benjamin Franklin, who was one of the signatories, summed up by addressing the convention: "There are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them."
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Frequently asked questions
The American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) led to the signing of the US Constitution.
The Articles of Confederation was the US's first constitution. It was replaced by the US Constitution on March 4, 1789.
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787. It was then submitted to the Congress of the Confederation on September 20, 1787.
