Malcolm Rivera
The United States Constitution, the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force, was written during the Philadelphia Convention, also known as the Constitutional Convention, which took place from May 25 to September 17, 1787. The four-page document, drafted in secret, established the government of the United States and was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 out of 41 delegates present. The Constitution, which superseded the Articles of Confederation, outlined the framework of the federal government, including the separation of powers into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The journey to ratification was long, and the Constitution only became the official framework of the US government on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date written | May 25, 1787 – September 17, 1787 |
| Date signed | September 17, 1787 |
| Date published | September 19, 1787 |
| Date ratified | June 21, 1788 |
| Date of first federal elections | December 15, 1788 – January 10, 1789 |
| Date of first presidential election | March 4, 1789 |
| Date of first 10 amendments (Bill of Rights) | December 15, 1791 |
| Date ratified by all states | May 29, 1790 |
| Location written | Philadelphia |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Number of articles | 7 |
| Number of amendments | 17 |
| Number of delegates who signed | 38 out of 41 |
| Number of states required to ratify | 9 out of 13 |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787
The United States Constitution, the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force, was signed on September 17, 1787. The signing of the Constitution took place after the Philadelphia Convention, also known as the Constitutional Convention, which was convened from May 25 to September 17, 1787. The Convention was conducted under an oath of secrecy, and the document was drafted in secret by delegates during the summer of 1787.
The Constitution was a four-page, handwritten document that established the government of the United States. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution delineates the framework of the federal government, with its first three articles embodying the doctrine of the separation of powers. The federal government is divided into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress (Article I); the executive, consisting of the President and subordinate officers (Article II); and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts (Article III).
The process leading up to the signing of the Constitution involved much debate and compromise among the delegates. They discussed and debated how much power to grant the central government, the number of representatives in Congress for each state, and how these representatives should be elected—directly by the people or by state legislators. The work of the delegates during the summer of 1787 culminated in the creation of a document that stands as a model of cooperative statesmanship and the art of compromise.
The original signed Constitution is housed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The Constitution did not go into effect immediately upon signing; it needed to be ratified by the people. The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process. The Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
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The document was drafted in secret
The United States Constitution was drafted in secret by delegates to the Constitutional Convention during the summer of 1787. The Federal Convention convened in the State House (now known as Independence Hall) in Philadelphia on May 14, 1787, to revise the Articles of Confederation. The delegates, however, ended up drafting an entirely new form of government.
The Constitutional Convention was conducted under an oath of secrecy. The delegates debated and redrafted the articles of the new Constitution in closed sessions throughout the summer. The chief points at issue were how much power to allow the central government, how many representatives in Congress to allow each state, and how these representatives should be elected—directly by the people or by the state legislators.
The delegates were exhausted by the grueling work of the convention and anxious to return home in early September. On September 8, the convention was ready to turn the Constitution over to a Committee of Style and Arrangement, with Gouverneur Morris as the chief architect. The Constitution was presented to the convention on September 12, and the delegates began to consider each section.
The final vote on the Constitution took place on September 15, 1787, and it was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 out of 41 delegates present. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787. The Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
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It was ratified by nine of 13 states
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 out of 41 delegates present. However, it did not immediately go into effect. The document stipulated that it would only become binding once it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states.
The process of achieving ratification was long and challenging. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. Several states opposed the Constitution, arguing that it did not adequately protect rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. To address these concerns, the Massachusetts Compromise of February 1788 stipulated that amendments would be proposed to protect these rights, resulting in the Bill of Rights. This compromise helped secure additional ratifications, with Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina approving the Constitution.
On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, and it officially became the framework of the United States government. The remaining four states eventually followed suit, with Rhode Island being the last to approve the document on May 29, 1790. The Bill of Rights, consisting of ten amendments, was ratified on December 15, 1791, and became part of the Constitution.
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The Constitution was the first permanent constitution
The United States Constitution, written in 1787, is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. It is also the first permanent constitution, influencing the constitutions of other nations. The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789.
The Constitution was drafted in secret by delegates to the Constitutional Convention, also known as the Philadelphia Convention, during the summer of 1787. The delegates debated and redrafted the articles of the new Constitution in closed sessions. The chief points at issue were how much power to allow the central government, how many representatives in Congress to allow from each state, and how these representatives should be elected—directly by the people or by the state legislators. The Constitution stands as a model of cooperative statesmanship and the art of compromise.
The four-page document was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 of the 41 delegates present, establishing the government of the United States. However, it did not go into effect immediately. The Constitution needed to be ratified by nine of the 13 existing states, as agreed upon under Article VII. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, making it the official framework of the US government.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. These amendments offer specific protections of individual liberty and justice and place restrictions on the powers of the government within the US states. The Constitution has been amended several times since, with the majority of the 17 later amendments expanding individual civil rights protections.
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It superseded the Articles of Confederation
The United States Constitution was written in 1787, during the Philadelphia Convention, and it superseded the Articles of Confederation, which had been the country's first governing document. The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress in 1777, but they were never fully ratified and implemented until 1781, towards the end of the American Revolutionary War. The Articles established a loose confederation of states with a weak central government, which had only limited powers, such as the ability to declare war, sign treaties, and manage relations with Native American tribes. The central government under the Articles of Confederation had no power to levy taxes, regulate commerce, or enforce laws. Each state retained its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every decision required unanimous approval by all thirteen state legislatures, giving each state an effective veto power over policy.
The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation soon became apparent, particularly after the end of the Revolutionary War, when the young nation faced economic crises and challenges in conducting its foreign affairs. The lack of a strong central government meant that the country was unable to effectively manage its finances, regulate trade, or enforce treaties. The need for a stronger central government led to calls for a constitutional convention, which resulted in the writing and adoption of the United States Constitution in 1787. The Constitution established a federal system with a stronger central government and a division of powers between the national government and the states.
One of the key differences between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution was the creation of a federal government with three separate branches under the Constitution: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch was established in the form of a two-house Congress, with the House of Representatives and the Senate, which was given the power to levy taxes, regulate commerce, and make laws. The executive branch was headed by the President, who was given the power to enforce laws, conduct foreign policy, and serve as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The judicial branch was established to interpret the laws and ensure their fairness and constitutionality.
Another significant difference was the establishment of a system of checks and balances under the Constitution, which was designed to prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful. Each branch was given specific powers and responsibilities, as well as the ability to check the power of the other branches. For example, while the legislative branch makes laws, the executive branch can veto those laws, and the judicial branch can declare them unconstitutional. This system of checks and balances was intended to protect against tyranny and ensure that the rights of the states and the people were preserved.
The Constitution also provided for a more effective system of representation, with members of the House of Representatives being directly elected by the people, and the Electoral College system being established for the election of the President. This was a significant change from the Articles of Confederation, under which each state legislature appointed members to the unicameral Congress, and there was no national executive or judicial branch. The Constitution also included a process for amendments, allowing for changes to be made over time to meet the evolving needs of the nation, whereas amending the Articles of Confederation required unanimous approval by all state legislatures, which made change virtually impossible.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was written in 1787.
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787.
The US Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
The US Constitution was ratified on March 4, 1789.
The US Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789.
