Omar Bennett
The Constitution of the United States of America is the oldest written national constitution in use and forms the foundation of the American government. It was signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788, when the required nine of 13 states voted in its favour. The Constitution lays out the system of government and the basic rights of citizens. It consists of a preamble, a list of seven articles, an untitled closing endorsement, and 27 amendments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of adoption | June 21, 1788 |
| First permanent constitution | Yes |
| Date of signing | September 17, 1787 |
| Number of signers | 38 out of 41 delegates |
| First state to ratify | Delaware |
| Date of Delaware's ratification | December 7, 1787 |
| Ninth state to ratify | New Hampshire |
| Date of New Hampshire's ratification | June 21, 1788 |
| Date of certification of ratification of 11 states | September 13, 1788 |
| Date of adoption of 17 amendments | September 25, 1789 |
| Number of amendments ratified | 10 |
| Date of ratification of the Bill of Rights | December 15, 1791 |
| Date of ratification by all states | May 29, 1790 |
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What You'll Learn
- The US Constitution was ratified on 21 June 1788
- The Articles of Confederation was the first US Constitution
- The Constitution was signed by 39 delegates on 17 September 1787
- The Constitution is the foundation of the American government
- The Constitution has three parts: the Preamble, the Articles, and the Amendments
The US Constitution was ratified on 21 June 1788
The Constitutional Convention, which authored the Constitution, assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787. The convention was proposed by James Madison and John Tyler in the Virginia assembly, who sought to give the Continental Congress the power to regulate commerce throughout the Confederation. Alexander Hamilton, a young lawyer from New York, joined Madison in issuing a report calling upon Congress to summon delegates from all states to meet. General George Washington was unanimously elected president of the convention.
The delegates debated for three hot summer months, eventually signing the Constitution on 17 September 1787. The document was signed by 38 delegates, with George Read signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total to 39 signatures. The delegates crafted a powerful central government, addressing concerns about centralised power by dividing the federal government into three branches.
The ratification campaign was hard-fought, with the Federalists supporting a strong central government, while the Anti-Federalists opposed it, arguing it lacked a bill of rights. The compromise of "vote now, amend later" helped secure victory in Massachusetts and eventually in the final holdout states. James Madison played a critical role in advocating for a bill of rights, and he worked tirelessly to persuade the House to enact amendments.
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The Articles of Confederation was the first US Constitution
The Constitution of a country is the supreme law that outlines the basic framework of the government and defines the fundamental political principles, structures, powers, and duties. It is a crucial document that serves as the foundation for the country's legal and governmental systems.
In the United States, the process of adopting the Constitution was a significant event in the nation's history. The United States Constitution, as we know it today, was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to approve it. However, the journey to establishing this constitution began much earlier and involved the Articles of Confederation, which was the first US Constitution.
The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the United States, drafted and adopted during the country's early years. It was created to establish a "league of friendship" among the 13 sovereign and independent states that formed the confederation. The document was drafted by a committee appointed by the Second Continental Congress in mid-June 1777 and was officially adopted on November 15, 1777. This document served as the United States' first constitution and was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789 when the present-day Constitution went into effect.
The Articles of Confederation reflected the concerns of the newly independent states, which wanted to retain significant autonomy while establishing a unified nation. It gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers and could not regulate commerce or print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to push the young nation to the brink of collapse.
As a result, it became clear that a stronger, more centralized government was needed to ensure the country's stability. This led to the convening of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in May 1787, with representatives from all 13 states. The delegates engaged in intense debates and ultimately created a new form of government, resulting in the United States Constitution that we know today.
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The Constitution was signed by 39 delegates on 17 September 1787
The United States Constitution was signed by 39 delegates on 17 September 1787. This event marked the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention, which had been convened to address the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation, the country's first constitution. The Articles had been drafted by a committee appointed by the Second Continental Congress in mid-June 1777 and adopted by the full Congress in mid-November of that year. However, it soon became apparent that a stronger, more centralised government was needed to address the challenges facing the young nation.
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, with representatives from all 13 states in attendance. The delegates were tasked with revising the existing government but ultimately proposed and created a completely new form. The new Constitution was signed by 38 delegates, with George Reed signing on behalf of the absent John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total to 39 signatures.
The Constitution provided a new framework for the federal government, with seven articles defining its structure and functions. It replaced the Articles of Confederation, which had given the Confederation Congress rule-making and funding powers but lacked enforcement authority and the ability to regulate commerce or print money. The creation of the Constitution was a significant achievement, standing today as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions globally.
The signing of the Constitution was a crucial step, but it did not immediately come into effect. Per Article VII, the document required ratification by nine of the 13 existing states. The first state to ratify was Delaware on 7 December 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The ratification process was a challenging one, with Federalists and Anti-Federalists engaged in a heated battle. The Federalists supported the Constitution, believing in the necessity of a strong central government, while the Anti-Federalists opposed it due to its resemblance to the recently overthrown government and the lack of a bill of rights.
It was not until 21 June 1788 that the Constitution was officially adopted, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify. The new government officially commenced operations on 4 March 1789. The Constitution has since been amended several times, with the Bill of Rights, comprising ten amendments, being ratified on 15 December 1791.
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The Constitution is the foundation of the American government
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. However, this document, the Articles of Confederation, proved inadequate for the young nation, as it lacked enforcement powers, the ability to regulate commerce, and the power to print money. Disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the country apart.
In May 1787, delegates from all 13 states convened in Philadelphia to address these issues and revise the Articles. The delegates ultimately created a completely new form of government, outlined in the new U.S. Constitution, which was signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787. The document would not be binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 states. The Federalists, who believed in a strong central government, worked to quickly collect votes, and by June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, making it the official framework of the U.S. government.
The Anti-Federalists opposed the Constitution because it created a powerful central government and lacked a bill of rights. James Madison, however, worked tirelessly to persuade the House to enact amendments, and on September 25, 1789, Congress adopted 12 amendments to send to the states for ratification. Ten of these amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791.
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The Constitution has three parts: the Preamble, the Articles, and the Amendments
The Constitution of the United States of America was adopted on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it. The Constitution has three parts: the Preamble, the Articles, and the Amendments.
The Preamble to the Constitution is an introductory statement that outlines the intentions and purpose of the document. It is not a part of the law itself, but it sets the stage for the Constitution and communicates the framers' goals and vision. The Preamble begins with the famous words, "We the People of the United States," and goes on to establish key objectives such as forming a "more perfect Union," establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defence, promoting general welfare, and securing the blessings of liberty for all Americans and future generations.
The Articles of the Constitution form the main body of the document and consist of seven parts that outline the basic framework of the federal government. Article I describes the Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government. The Articles have been amended over time, but they still include the original text, with provisions that are no longer applicable usually indicated through bracketing or italicization.
The Amendments to the Constitution are changes or additions made to the original document to address specific issues or to protect individual liberties. The process of amending the Constitution involves two steps: proposal and ratification. 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 by two-thirds of the state legislatures. Ratification requires the approval of three-fourths of the states, typically through the consent of state legislatures or ratifying conventions. One of the most significant groups of amendments is the Bill of Rights, which consists of the first ten amendments ratified in 1791.
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