Simone Lawson
The United States Constitution, the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force, was drafted in the summer of 1787 and signed on September 17, 1787. The four-page document, handwritten by Jacob Shallus, established the government of the United States, outlining the doctrine of the separation of powers and division of the federal government into three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. The Constitution's journey to ratification was long and arduous, with debates and amendments, and it did not become the official framework of the US government until June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date written | Summer of 1787 |
| Date signed | September 17, 1787 |
| Date published | September 19, 1787 |
| Date ratified | June 21, 1788 |
| Date of first federal elections | December 15, 1788 |
| Date of official implementation | March 4, 1789 |
| Location written | Philadelphia |
| Number of pages | 4 or 5 |
| Number of articles | 7 |
| Number of amendments | 10 |
| Number of delegates who signed | 38 |
| Number of states that ratified | 9 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787
The Constitution was drafted in Philadelphia, specifically in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. The process of drafting began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention first convened to revise the Articles of Confederation. The delegates soon realised that rather than amending the existing Articles, they would need to draft an entirely new framework of government.
The Constitution's main provisions consist of seven articles that outline the fundamental structure of the federal government. These articles address critical aspects such as the separation of powers, with the federal government divided into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch, as outlined in Article I, consists of a bicameral Congress, including a Senate and a House of Representatives. The executive branch, detailed in Article II, comprises the President and subordinate officers. Meanwhile, the judicial branch, outlined in Article III, encompasses the Supreme Court and other federal courts.
The process of drafting the Constitution involved closed sessions where delegates debated and redrafted the articles. They grappled with questions such as the balance of power between the central government and the states, the number of representatives in Congress for each state, and the election process for these representatives. The final document, signed on September 17, 1787, established the government of the United States and laid the foundation for the nation's governance.
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It superseded the Articles of Confederation
The US Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation, which was the country's first constitution. The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and served as the written document that established the functions of the national government of the United States after it declared independence from Great Britain. It established a weak central government, with the individual states retaining most of the power. This left the central government with insufficient power to regulate commerce, levy taxes, print money, or address internal rebellions.
The Articles of Confederation outlined a Congress with representation based on each state having one vote, rather than population. While the Articles established a unicameral legislature, the US Constitution created a bicameral legislature: the House of Representatives, elected by popular vote, and the Senate, appointed by the state legislature.
The limitations of the central government under the Articles of Confederation became apparent in the years following the Revolutionary War. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington were among those who feared the country was on the brink of collapse due to issues such as disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade. The central government's weakness was further highlighted by its inability to effectively respond to Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts in 1786, led by former Continental Army Captain Daniel Shay.
As a result of these concerns, the Constitutional Convention was convened in Philadelphia in May 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation. However, the delegates quickly realized that the defects in the government could not be remedied by altering the Articles, and instead, they created a new constitution. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the new Constitution, establishing a more powerful central government. The US Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation when it went into effect in 1789.
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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 (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia on May 14, 1787, with the initial purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation. However, it soon became clear that the convention would draft an entirely new form of government.
The delegates to the convention debated and redrafted the articles of the new Constitution in closed sessions throughout the summer. The chief points of contention included 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 many minds, the Constitution stands as a testament to cooperative statesmanship and the art of compromise.
By mid-September, with the delegates eager to return home, compromises came more easily. The Constitution was presented to the convention on September 12, and the delegates began to consider each section methodically. Close votes followed on several articles, but it was clear that the grueling work of the convention was drawing to a close. Before the final vote on September 15, Edmund Randolph proposed that amendments be made by the state conventions and then turned over to another general convention for consideration.
On September 17, 1787, the members met for the last time, and the Constitution was signed by 38 out of 41 delegates present. However, the document would not become binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it.
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It was ratified by nine of 13 states
The United States Constitution, the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force, was signed on September 17, 1787. However, it did not go into effect immediately. The document stipulated that it would only be binding once it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states.
The road to 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. The opposition in most states was largely disorganized and lacked a unified front. However, some states objected to the Constitution, arguing that it did not adequately protect essential rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press.
The Massachusetts Compromise, reached in February 1788, addressed these concerns by stipulating that amendments would be proposed to safeguard these rights, ultimately leading to the Bill of Rights. This compromise, along with the lobbying efforts of influential figures like Hamilton, Madison, and Jay, who produced "The Federalist Papers," helped sway public opinion and secure additional ratifications.
On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, making it the official framework of the government of the United States of America. The remaining four states, including Rhode Island, which was the last to approve the document, ratified the Constitution by May 29, 1790. The Bill of Rights, consisting of ten amendments, was ratified on December 15, 1791, finalizing the foundational framework of the US government.
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It is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. It was drafted in secret by delegates to the Constitutional Convention during the summer of 1787. This four-page document, signed on September 17, 1787, established the government of the United States. The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789.
The Constitution is a model of cooperative statesmanship and the art of compromise. It is a document that stands for freedom and is a powerful vision of democracy. The first three articles of the Constitution 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's journey to ratification was long and arduous. Until the new Constitution was ratified, the country was governed by the Articles of Confederation. It became clear to some of America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralised government. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document. The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791.
The original U.S. Constitution was handwritten on five pages of parchment by Jacob Shallus. It is the first permanent constitution and has inspired the constitutions of other nations. The Constitution is neither rigid nor stifling, and it is flexible enough to be adapted to changing circumstances.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was written in 1787.
The US Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
The US Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America on March 4, 1789.
