Omar Bennett
The United States Constitution was written and signed in 1787, a few years after the Revolutionary War. The first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, 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, and couldn't print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart. Alexander Hamilton led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document, and representatives from all 13 states convened in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787, to participate in the Convention. The delegates met for three months, ultimately signing the Constitution on September 17, 1787. The Constitution was then ratified by the states, with New Hampshire becoming the ninth state to ratify on June 21, 1788, and Rhode Island being the last state to approve the document on May 29, 1790. The Constitution has since been amended numerous times and remains the supreme law of the land.
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What You'll Learn
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787
The United States Constitution was written and signed in 1787. It was a charter of government that came to be ratified by the states and continues to be the supreme law of the land. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, with representatives from all 13 states. The delegates came together to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution. The Articles of Confederation gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, the ability to regulate commerce, and the ability to print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young nation apart.
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and George Washington were particularly concerned about the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the future of their country. Hamilton led the call for a constitutional convention, and he, along with Madison and John Jay, published a series of essays known as the Federalist Papers, which explained and defended how the proposed new government would function. These essays were published in newspapers nationwide, and they played a crucial role in lobbying for votes in favour of ratifying the Constitution.
The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia was conducted under an oath of secrecy. The delegates shuttered the windows of the State House to ensure privacy and enable free discussion. They crafted compromises, representing a wide range of interests and views. The final document, signed on September 17, 1787, introduced a completely new form of government, creating a powerful central government while dividing power between the states and the federal government.
The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island approved the document. The Bill of Rights, which addressed concerns about the lack of protection for certain rights, was ratified on December 15, 1791. The Constitution has faced various criticisms and amendments over the years, but it remains one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world.
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The document was signed on September 17, 1787
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, marking a pivotal moment in the nation's history. The signing of this document, which established a new form of government, was the culmination of months of passionate and thoughtful deliberation among the delegates. The process began with concerns about the Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, which gave the Confederation Congress rule-making and funding powers but lacked enforcement and regulatory capabilities.
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, with representatives from all 13 states. The delegates met under an oath of secrecy to discuss and shape the future of their country. The convention was led by George Washington, who was unanimously elected as its president. The document was signed by 38 delegates, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total signatures to 39.
The Constitution introduced a powerful central government, addressing the disputes among the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade. It was a compromise that balanced representation based on population with equal representation for each state, counting enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person. The delegates also agreed to allow the slave trade to continue until 1808, temporarily resolving another contentious issue.
Within just three days of its signing, the Constitution was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City. Despite having the power to reject it, the members of Congress voted unanimously to forward the proposal to the states for ratification. This began the process of ratification, with Delaware becoming the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787. The Constitution officially became the framework of the US government on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
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38 delegates signed the Constitution
The United States Constitution, which came into being in 1787, was signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia. The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of a process that began a few years after the Revolutionary War, when James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared that their young country was on the brink of collapse due to the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution.
The Articles of Confederation gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, could not regulate commerce, and could not print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the country apart. To address these issues, Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organize a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation.
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, with delegates from 12 of the 13 states (Rhode Island did not send any delegates). The delegates debated competing proposals, such as the \"New Jersey Plan,\" which favoured a unicameral legislature with equal representation for all states, and the Virginia Plan, which proposed a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House.
After months of intense debates and revisions, the delegates produced the document known as the Constitution, which expanded the powers of the central government while protecting the prerogatives of the states. The final document was signed by 38 delegates, with George Read signing for John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. However, it is important to note that not all delegates agreed with the final product, and three delegates, Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, George Mason of Virginia, and Randolph, did not sign it.
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The Constitution was ratified by states
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and within three days, it was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation. The document was then forwarded to the 13 states for their ratification. Article VII of the Constitution stated that ratification by nine of the 13 states would be sufficient for the establishment of the Constitution.
The Constitution was initially intended as a revision of the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution. However, the delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 ended up drafting a completely new form of government. The process of ratifying the new Constitution was long and arduous, and it faced opposition in most states, particularly from anti-Federalists who criticised the lack of a bill of rights and the loss of state sovereignty.
Hamilton and Madison led the lobbying efforts for votes in favour of ratifying the Constitution. With assistance from John Jay, they produced 85 essays known as "The Federalist Papers", which explained and defended the proposed new government. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
The Constitution was eventually ratified by nine states, with New Hampshire becoming the final state to approve it on June 21, 1788. This made the Constitution the official framework of the government of the United States of America. However, it was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island approved the document.
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The Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791
The United States Constitution was drafted in 1787, and it superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Bill of Rights, which comprises the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was ratified in 1791.
The Bill of Rights was strongly 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 Bill of Rights was also influenced by the anti-Federalists, who wanted power to remain with state and local governments and advocated for a bill of rights to safeguard individual liberty. During the debates on the adoption of the Constitution, anti-Federalists repeatedly charged that the Constitution as drafted would open the way to tyranny by the central government, and they demanded a "bill of rights" that would spell out the immunities of individual citizens.
The Bill of Rights defines citizens' rights in relation to the newly established government under the Constitution. It includes the right to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, the right to peaceably assemble, and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. It also includes the right to bear arms and the right to security against unreasonable searches and seizures.
The Bill of Rights was ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures, as required by the Constitution's amendment process. The process of amending the Constitution involves two steps: first, a proposed amendment must be adopted by either two-thirds of Congress or a national convention; second, the proposed amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states, either through the consent of state legislatures or state ratifying conventions.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and the delegates started working on it in May of the same year.
The US Constitution was written to replace the Articles of Confederation, which 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 was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to do so.
