Omar Bennett
The United States Constitution was adopted by the Continental Congress on September 17, 1787. However, the Articles of Confederation, which served as the country's first constitution, were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and ratified on March 1, 1781. The Articles of Confederation established a league of friendship for the 13 independent states, with each state retaining sovereignty and powers not delegated to the United States. The Articles gave limited powers to the central government, leading to concerns about the country's stability and calls for a new constitution. The Constitution of 1787 established a stronger federal government and addressed issues related to congressional representation, slavery, and individual rights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of adoption of the Articles of Confederation by the Continental Congress | November 15, 1777 |
| First Constitution of the United States | Articles of Confederation |
| Date the Articles of Confederation went into effect | March 1, 1781 |
| Date the present-day Constitution went into effect | 1789 |
| Date the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia | May, 1787 |
| Date the Constitution was signed | September 17, 1787 |
| Date the Constitution was passed on to the states | September 28, 1787 |
| Number of states that had to agree to the new Constitution for it to go into effect | 9 |
| Date New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the new Constitution | June 21 |
| Date Congress announced that the Constitution had been adopted | July 2, 1788 |
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What You'll Learn
The Articles of Confederation
Just a few years after the Revolutionary War, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington were among those who feared their young country was on the brink of collapse. They believed that a strong central government was necessary to face the nation's challenges. In May 1787, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. The new Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and it went into effect on March 1, 1781, replacing the Articles of Confederation as the governing document of the United States.
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The Continental Congress
In 1775, Benjamin Franklin submitted a plan for a united colonial confederation or American republic to the Continental Congress. This plan, annotated by Thomas Jefferson, sparked a national debate on the creation of an American republic.
In 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed three committees, one of which was tasked with determining the form of the confederation of the colonies. This committee included one representative from each colony, and John Dickinson of Delaware was the principal writer. The resulting document, the Articles of Confederation, was adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777. It served as the United States' first constitution, establishing a league of friendship for the 13 independent states. Each state retained power over all areas not expressly delegated to the United States, and the Articles outlined a Congress with representation not based on population, with each state having one vote.
The Articles of Confederation 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, print money, or effectively support a war effort. This led to concerns that the young country was on the brink of collapse, and in 1787, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia to revise the Articles. The new Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and went into effect in 1789, replacing the Articles of Confederation.
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The Constitutional Convention
The Articles of Confederation had established a "league of friendship" among the 13 independent states, with each state retaining sovereignty and powers not delegated to the Confederation Congress. However, the central government had limited authority and lacked enforcement powers, making it ineffective in resolving disputes between states and regulating commerce, among other issues.
The proposed constitution faced opposition from Anti-Federalists, who argued it created a powerful central government reminiscent of the one they had overthrown and lacked a bill of rights. However, Federalists, who supported the constitution, engaged in a vigorous campaign for its ratification. The document was ratified by nine states, including Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and eventually went into effect on September 17, 1787, when 38 delegates signed it, replacing the Articles of Confederation.
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The ratification campaign
Recognizing the need for a stronger, more centralized government, Alexander Hamilton led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document. The convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, with delegates from all 13 states. The delegates debated, criticized, and expounded upon the proposal clause by clause, and a widespread campaign took place throughout the country to convince people that the Articles of Confederation needed to be revised to maintain the Union.
The ratification process was complicated by the requirement in the Articles of Confederation for the unanimous approval of state legislatures. Recognizing that this would be a significant obstacle to ratification, the delegates at the convention proposed an alternative method: ratification by nine of the 13 states would be sufficient to enact the new government.
The Federalists, who believed in a strong central government, faced opposition from the Anti-Federalists, who fought 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 tide turned in Massachusetts, where the "vote now, amend later" compromise helped secure victory, and eventually, the necessary nine states ratified the Constitution.
The first state to ratify was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify, making the Constitution the official framework of the US government. The remaining four states eventually ratified the Constitution as well, with Rhode Island being the last to approve the document on May 29, 1790.
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The Bill of Rights
The Articles of Confederation, the United States' first constitution, was adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777. It was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789 when the present-day Constitution went into effect. The Articles gave little power to the central government, and the country was on the brink of economic collapse. The states retained considerable power, and the central government had insufficient power to regulate commerce, levy taxes, or formulate commercial policy.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. The amendments guarantee personal freedoms, such as freedom of speech, the right to publish, practice religion, possess firearms, and assemble. They also include explicit declarations that all powers not specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved for the states or the people.
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Frequently asked questions
The Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States, was adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777.
The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the United States. It established a league of friendship for the 13 sovereign and independent states.
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, or print money.
A few years after the Revolutionary War, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared their young country was on the brink of collapse. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the country apart.
The new constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates. It was ratified by 9 of the 13 states, with the final holdout being Massachusetts.
