Simone Lawson
The Constitution of the United States, the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force, was written during the Philadelphia Convention, now known as the Constitutional Convention, from May 25 to September 17, 1787. It was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 out of 41 delegates present. The Constitution established the government of the United States and put governance in the hands of the people. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789, and became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it on June 21, 1788.
| 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 official implementation | March 4, 1789 |
| Date of first 10 amendments (Bill of Rights) ratification | December 15, 1791 |
| Date ratified by all states | May 29, 1790 |
| Location written | Philadelphia |
| Number of pages | 4–5 |
| Number of articles | 7 |
| Number of amendments | 27 |
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What You'll Learn
- The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787
- It superseded the Articles of Confederation on March 4, 1789
- The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights
- The Constitution was ratified by nine of 13 states on June 21, 1788
- The first permanent constitution was handwritten on five pages of parchment
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention, meeting in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, initially intended to amend the existing Articles of Confederation. However, as the Convention progressed, it became evident that a completely new constitution would be drafted. The delegates, through discussion and debate, grappled with critical issues such as the balance of power between the central government and the states, the number of representatives in Congress for each state, and the method of electing these representatives.
The final version of the Constitution, a four-page document, was presented to the Convention on September 12, 1787, and the delegates meticulously reviewed each section. The Constitution was signed five days later, on September 17, by 38 of the 41 delegates present, bringing the Convention to a close. This document established the framework for the government of the United States, outlining the separation of powers into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial.
However, the Constitution did not immediately go into effect upon signing. It had to undergo a ratification process, requiring approval by nine of the 13 existing states. The first state to ratify was Delaware on December 7, 1787, and the Constitution officially became the governing framework of the United States on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it. The Constitution has since been amended numerous times to expand individual liberties and address issues related to federal authority and government processes.
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It superseded the Articles of Confederation on March 4, 1789
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and superseded the Articles of Confederation on March 4, 1789. The Articles of Confederation, officially the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was an agreement and early body of law in the Thirteen Colonies. It served as the United States' first constitution, coming into force on March 1, 1781, and remaining in effect until 1789 when the present-day Constitution was established.
The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, after being debated by the Second Continental Congress between July 1776 and November 1777. It was in this period that the 13 colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. The Articles were then submitted to the states for ratification, with Virginia being the first state to ratify on December 16, 1777. By February 1779, 12 states had ratified the Articles, but Maryland, the lone holdout, refused to go along until the landed states, particularly Virginia, agreed to cede their claims to lands west of the Ohio River. Maryland finally ratified the Articles on February 2, 1781, and they came into force on March 1, 1781.
The Articles of Confederation established a weak confederal government, with the states retaining considerable power. This led to issues such as economic instability and a lack of centralized authority to regulate commerce, implement effective taxation, or support a war effort. The central government also lacked the power to resolve disputes between states. These weaknesses prompted calls for a stronger federal government and eventually led to the drafting of a new constitution.
The Constitution of the United States, which came into effect on March 4, 1789, provided for a much stronger federal government. It established a chief executive (the president), courts, and taxing powers. The Constitution's first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government 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).
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The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights
The United States Constitution was drafted in secret during the summer of 1787 and signed on September 17, 1787. It established the government of the United States and is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution are collectively known as the Bill of Rights. James Madison wrote these amendments to limit government power and protect individual liberties. The Bill of Rights became law on December 15, 1791.
The First Amendment protects the freedom of speech, assembly, and petition of the government. It also prohibits the government from establishing a religion or abridging the free exercise of religion. The Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms, and the Third Amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes without the owner's consent. The Fourth Amendment safeguards citizens' right to be free from unreasonable government intrusion in their homes, requiring a warrant for search and arrest.
The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for people accused of crimes. It states that serious criminal charges must be started by a grand jury, and people cannot be tried twice for the same offence (double jeopardy) or have property taken away without just compensation. The accused cannot be forced to self-incriminate and cannot be imprisoned without due process of law (fair procedures and trials). The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections, including the right to a speedy and public trial, an impartial jury, and the right to be informed of criminal charges. The Seventh Amendment extends the right to a jury trial in federal civil cases, and the Eighth Amendment bars excessive bail and fines and cruel and unusual punishment.
The Ninth Amendment states that the listing of specific rights in the Constitution does not deny other rights not explicitly mentioned, and the Tenth Amendment affirms that the federal government's powers are limited to those delegated in the Constitution.
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The Constitution was ratified by nine of 13 states on June 21, 1788
The United States Constitution was written during the Philadelphia Convention, also known as the Constitutional Convention, which took place from May 25 to September 17, 1787. The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, marking its completion. However, it did not immediately go into effect, as it required ratification by the people.
The process of achieving ratification for the Constitution was long and challenging. The document needed to be ratified by nine of the 13 existing states to become binding, in accordance with Article VII. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, and by June 21, 1788, eight other states had followed suit. On that day, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify, and the Constitution officially became the framework of the government of the United States.
The road to achieving ratification involved lobbying efforts led by Hamilton and James Madison, who were supported by John Jay. Together, they produced and published a series of essays known as "The Federalist Papers" in newspapers across the nation. These essays explained and defended the proposed new government under the Constitution and played a crucial role in garnering support for the document.
The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation, which had served as the nation's first constitution. The Articles of Confederation were tailored to a newly formed nation but lacked the centralized authority needed for future stability. The journey toward ratification of the Constitution culminated in the establishment of a stronger, more unified government for the United States of America.
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The first permanent constitution was handwritten on five pages of parchment
The United States Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution's first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, in which 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 Constitution was drafted in secret by delegates to the Constitutional Convention during the summer of 1787. This four-page document, with an additional fifth page, was signed on September 17, 1787, and established the government of the United States. The Federal Convention convened in the State House (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia on May 14, 1787, to revise the Articles of Confederation. The delegates debated and redrafted the articles of the new Constitution, discussing how much power to allow the central government, how many representatives in Congress to allow each state, and how these representatives should be elected.
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It begins with the words: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was written in 1787 during the Philadelphia Convention, also known as the Constitutional Convention.
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 out of 41 delegates present.
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.
