Omar Bennett
The United States Constitution, written and signed in 1787, is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. It is a charter of government that continues to be the supreme law of the land. The Constitution was written during the Philadelphia Convention, now known as the Constitutional Convention, which convened from May 25 to September 17, 1787, and was signed on the last day of the convention.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year written | 1787 |
| Location written | Philadelphia |
| Location signed | Independence Hall, Philadelphia |
| Date signed | September 17, 1787 |
| Number of delegates who signed | 39 |
| Date first published | September 19, 1787 |
| Publication | The Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser |
| Date ratified | Not stated |
| Number of states required for ratification | 9 of 13 |
| Date of first anniversary celebration | 1837 |
| Date of second anniversary celebration | 1987 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was written and signed in 1787
The Constitutional Convention, also known as the Philadelphia Convention, convened from May 25 to September 17, 1787, in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall). The delegates, representing diverse interests and views, crafted a powerful central government while navigating the complexities of centralized power and state loyalties.
The resulting Constitution, written during this convention, established a federal government with three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial, as outlined in its first three articles. It also delineated the rights and responsibilities of state governments in relation to the federal government and established the procedure for future amendments. The document was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates, with an additional signature by George Reed on behalf of the absent John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total to 39 signatures.
The Constitution did not immediately go into effect after being signed. It had to undergo a ratification process, with special conventions in each state. The document was ratified when 9 of the 13 states approved it, officially enacting the new government. The original, handwritten Constitution is now housed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., serving as a testament to the foundational principles of American governance and democracy.
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The Philadelphia Convention, also known as the Constitutional Convention
The convention was not originally intended to draft a new constitution. Many delegates assumed the goal was to discuss and propose improvements to the existing Articles of Confederation. However, once the convention began, most delegates agreed that a new system of government was needed, not just revisions to the existing articles. The convention was attended by 55 delegates, including prominent figures such as James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, who shared a vision for a stronger national government.
Madison, a strong nationalist, proposed the Virginia Plan, which called for a supreme national government and was a significant departure from the Articles of Confederation. The Virginia Plan gained support from delegates from Virginia and Pennsylvania, forming a powerful coalition within the convention. On the other hand, Charles Pinckney of South Carolina introduced his plan, which also sought to increase the power of the national government. The convention also considered other proposals, such as William Paterson's New Jersey Plan.
The final document was a compromise between Madison's "national" constitution and the "federal" Constitution desired by many delegates. The convention adopted the Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise, which gave each state two senators instead of three. The delegates also agreed to bypass the state legislatures and call for special ratifying conventions in each state, with ratification by 9 of the 13 states enacting the new government. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing on behalf of the absent John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total to 39 signatures.
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 marked a revolution in government, successfully balancing the need for public order and security with the protection of personal liberty. It resulted in the creation of a powerful central government and a new framework for the United States government, making it one of the most significant events in American history. The Constitution of the United States is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution still in force today.
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The Federalists and Anti-Federalists
The US Constitution, first written and signed in 1787, is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. It delineates the framework of the federal government and embodies the doctrine of the separation of powers. The Constitution divides the federal government into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress; the executive, consisting of the president and subordinate officers; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts.
The Federalists and the Anti-Federalists had differing views on the US Constitution. The Federalists believed that having a strong central government was key to making the United States a success. They supported ratifying the new US Constitution, which they were instrumental in shaping in 1787. John Adams and Alexander Hamilton were famous Federalists. Federalists' beliefs could be described as nationalist, and they considered class distinctions important. They thought the country would be better off if the wealthiest and most educated people were in charge.
On the other hand, the Anti-Federalists opposed the new US Constitution. They worried that a strong central government would threaten the freedom of individuals. They believed that the Constitution strengthened the national government at the expense of the states and the people. Thomas Jefferson and Samuel Adams were famous Anti-Federalists. The Anti-Federalists never organised efficiently across all thirteen states and had to fight the ratification at every state convention. However, they succeeded in forcing the first Congress under the new Constitution to establish a Bill of Rights to ensure the liberties that they felt the Constitution violated.
The debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists continued long after the ratification of the Constitution. Many women also took sides in these debates, with Mercy Otis Warren and Judith Sargent Murray being two of the most published women writers of the Federal period. Warren, an Anti-Federalist, argued in her essay "Observations on the New Constitution, and on the Federal and State Conventions" that the new Constitution was dangerous because it did not guarantee individual liberties. Murray, a Federalist, argued in her essay "No. 87" from "The Gleaner" that too much personal liberty was dangerous for the country.
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The Articles of Confederation
The US Constitution, the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force, was signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787. The signing of the Constitution came after fears that the young country was on the brink of collapse, with disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatening to tear the country apart.
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The ratification process
The US Constitution was written and signed in 1787, but it didn't go into effect immediately. It had to be ratified by the people. The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution, bypassing the state legislatures and calling for special ratifying conventions in each state. Ratification by 9 of the 13 states enacted the new government.
The Federalists, who believed that a strong central government was necessary to face the nation's challenges, needed to convert at least three states. The Anti-Federalists fought hard against the Constitution because it created a powerful central government that reminded them of the one they had just overthrown, and it lacked a bill of rights. The ratification campaign was a nail-biter. The tide turned in Massachusetts, where the “vote now, amend later” compromise helped secure victory in that state and eventually in the final holdouts.
The justification for judicial review is to be explicitly found in the open ratifications held in the states and reported in their newspapers. John Marshall in Virginia, James Wilson in Pennsylvania, and Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut all argued for Supreme Court judicial review of acts of state legislature. In Federalist No. 78, Alexander Hamilton advocated the doctrine of a written document held as a superior enactment of the people. "A limited constitution can be preserved in practice no other way" than through courts that can declare void any legislation contrary to the Constitution. The preservation of the people's authority over legislatures rests "particularly with judges."
The Supreme Court was initially made up of jurists who had been intimately connected with the framing of the Constitution and the establishment of its government as law. John Jay (New York), a co-author of The Federalist Papers, served as chief justice for the first six years. The Constitution continues to be the supreme law of the land.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was first written in 1787.
The US Constitution was written in Philadelphia, in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall.
The US Constitution was written by 38 delegates, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
