Omar Bennett
The idea for the United States Constitution first came up in the years following the Revolutionary War, when the country's future looked uncertain. The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, had created a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments. This led to disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade, threatening to tear the young country apart. Nationalists, led by figures such as James Madison, George Washington, and Alexander Hamilton, began working towards strengthening the federal government. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, but instead, a new Constitution with a stronger national government was drafted. The United States Constitution has since faced various criticisms and amendments, and its influence has spread worldwide, inspiring democratic ideals and shaping world history.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the first draft of the US Constitution | May 25, 1787 |
| Date of the signing of the US Constitution | September 17, 1787 |
| Date of the first public printing of the US Constitution | September 19, 1787 |
| Date of the first US Constitution ratification | June 21, 1788 |
| Date of the first federal elections | January 7, 1789 |
| Date of the election of the first president | February 4, 1789 |
| Date of the first Congress | March 4, 1789 |
| Date of the first US Constitution | 1777 |
| Date of the ratification of the first US Constitution | March 1, 1781 |
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What You'll Learn
The Articles of Confederation
The final draft of the Articles of Confederation was completed on November 15, 1777, and submitted to the states for ratification. Despite most delegates realizing the flaws in the compromise, it was still better than having no formal national government. Virginia was the first state to ratify on December 16, 1777, and by February 1779, 12 states had ratified the Articles. Maryland was the last state to ratify on March 1, 1781, after the other states agreed to cede their western land claims.
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The Continental Congress
Nationalists, including James Madison, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Wilson, began working to strengthen the federal government. They turned a series of regional commercial conferences into a national Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. This convention was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, but it soon abandoned those efforts and drafted a new Constitution with a much stronger national government.
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was conducted under an oath of secrecy. After five weeks of debate, the convention appointed a committee to prepare a final version of the Constitution, with Gouverneur Morris doing most of the work. On August 6, 1787, the convention accepted the first draft of the Constitution. On September 17, 1787, the convention voted in favor of the Constitution, and it was signed on the same day. However, the Constitution still needed to be ratified by the people.
On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, making it the law of the land. The Confederation Congress established March 4, 1789, as the date to begin operating under the new government. The U.S. Constitution was influenced by the study of the Magna Carta and other ancient and extant federations. It has since inspired the creation and amendment of constitutions in other countries, including Australia and the Philippines.
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The Constitutional Convention
The idea for the United States Constitution, the world's oldest national constitution, was born out of the fear that the young country was on the brink of collapse. America's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, had created a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments. This resulted in disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade, threatening to tear the country apart.
Nationalists, led by James Madison, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Wilson, began working towards strengthening the federal government. In 1786, John Jay wrote to George Washington, expressing the belief that a "general convention for revising the articles of Confederation would be expedient". Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organise a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on these revisions, and so, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787.
The Constitution did not go into effect immediately after being signed. It needed to be approved by the people through a ratification process, which was established by Article VII of the Constitution. This required the ratification of nine states for the Constitution to be established. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify, and the Confederation Congress established March 4, 1789, as the date to begin operating under the new government.
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Ratification
The idea for the United States Constitution first came about a few years after the Revolutionary War, when the country was on the brink of collapse. America's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, had created a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments. This led to disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade, which threatened to tear the young country apart.
Nationalists, led by James Madison, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Wilson, began working towards strengthening the federal government. They turned a series of regional commercial conferences into a national Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, which was conducted under an oath of secrecy. The convention soon abandoned the Articles of Confederation, drafting a new Constitution with a much stronger national government.
The United States Constitution was ratified in 1787, after a long and bitter debate. The ratification process was established by Article VII of the Constitution, which stated that the ratification of nine states was required for the establishment of the Constitution. On July 2, 1788, Congress received news that New Hampshire had become the ninth state to ratify, making the Constitution the law of the land.
The ratification campaign was a challenging one, with Federalists and Anti-Federalists fighting hard for and against the Constitution, respectively. The Federalists believed that a strong central government was necessary to face the nation's challenges, while the Anti-Federalists opposed the creation of a powerful central government, reminding them of the one they had just overthrown. The tide turned in Massachusetts, where the "vote now, amend later" compromise helped secure victory and eventually led to the ratification of the Constitution.
The Constitution was then signed on September 17, 1787, and this date is now commemorated as Constitution Day. The original signed, handwritten Constitution is housed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The first public printing of the Constitution was published in a newspaper, The Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser, on September 19, 1787, two days after it was signed.
The Congress of the Confederation certified the ratification of eleven states on September 17, 1787, and passed resolutions setting dates for choosing the first senators and representatives, electing the first president, and officially starting the new government. The new government began operating under the Constitution on March 4, 1789.
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Amendments
The idea for the United States Constitution was born out of the need to strengthen the federal government and address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which served as the country's first constitution. The Articles of Confederation created a loose confederation of states with a weak central government, giving the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but lacking enforcement powers and the ability to regulate commerce or print money. Divisions among the states and local rebellions threatened to tear the young nation apart.
Nationalists, led by prominent figures such as James Madison, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, began working towards revising the Articles of Confederation and strengthening the federal government. This culminated in the Constitutional Convention of 1787, also known as the Philadelphia Convention, which was conducted under an oath of secrecy. The convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787 and produced the first draft of the Constitution on August 6, 1787, after fierce debates and deliberations. The final version of the Constitution was approved and signed by the convention on September 17, 1787.
The United States Constitution has been amended several times throughout its history to address specific issues and reflect changing societal needs. Here is a detailed overview of some notable amendments:
The Twentieth Amendment (1933): This amendment addressed the issue of "lame duck" sessions of Congress by changing the date on which a new president, vice president, and Congress take office. Originally, there was a gap between Election Day and the beginning of the presidential, vice presidential, and congressional terms, leading to "lame duck" sessions where outgoing legislators met during the interim period. The amendment shortened this gap, allowing for a speedier transition and reducing the influence of outgoing legislators.
The Twenty-second Amendment (1951): This amendment introduced term limits for the presidency, restricting an elected president to two terms in office, totalling eight years.
The Due Process Clause: While not a specific amendment, the Due Process Clause is a significant part of the Constitution. It establishes the right to due process of law, protecting individuals from arbitrary denial of life, liberty, or property by the government. It applies to both the federal government and state governments through the Fourteenth Amendment.
Judicial Review: While not expressly authorized in the Constitution, the idea of judicial review has been contemplated by the Framers. Precedents set by the courts have established the power of judicial review, allowing courts to exercise oversight over the actions of Congress and the executive branch. This power has been influential in shaping the interpretation and application of constitutional principles.
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Frequently asked questions
The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the first constitution of the United States.
The Articles of Confederation were submitted to the states for ratification in 1777, but not enough states approved it until 1781.
The Articles of Confederation provided for a weak executive branch, no national power of taxation, and voting by states. It also 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.
In 1786, it became clear that revisions to the Articles of Confederation were needed. In May of that year, Charles Pinckney of South Carolina proposed that Congress revise the Articles.
The U.S. Constitution was written during the Philadelphia Convention, also known as the Constitutional Convention, which convened from May 25 to September 17, 1787.
