Omar Bennett
The United States Constitution, the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force, was signed on September 17, 1787. It is a four-page document that established the government of the United States and is considered a source of wisdom and inspiration. The first written constitution of an independent polity, however, was the 1755 Corsican Constitution, drafted by Pasquale Paoli, though it was short-lived.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date written | 1787 |
| Date signed | 17th September 1787 |
| Location written | Independence Hall, Philadelphia |
| Location signed | Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Number of articles | 7 |
| Oldest written and codified national constitution in force | United States Constitution |
| First written constitution of an independent polity | 1755 Corsican Constitution |
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What You'll Learn
- The US Constitution was written and signed in 1787
- The National Archives is the permanent home of the US Constitution
- The US Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force
- The first written constitution of an independent polity was the 1755 Corsican Constitution
- Constitution Day is a federal observance that commemorates the US Constitution
The US Constitution was written and signed in 1787
The US Constitution, the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world, was written and signed in 1787. The document, originally intended as a revision of the Articles of Confederation, introduced a completely new form of government.
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. However, through discussion and debate, it became clear by mid-June that the convention would draft an entirely new frame of government. All through the summer, in closed sessions, the delegates debated and redrafted the articles of the new Constitution.
The four-page document was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates present at the conclusion of the convention. The closing endorsement included a brief declaration that the delegates' work had been successfully completed and that those whose signatures appear on it subscribe to the final document. The document was then submitted to the Congress of the Confederation, then sitting in New York City, the nation's temporary capital.
The US Constitution is currently housed in the National Archives, where it is available on DocsTeach, an online tool for teaching with documents from the National Archives.
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The National Archives is the permanent home of the US Constitution
The US Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. It was drafted in secret during the summer of 1787 by delegates to the Constitutional Convention and was signed on September 17, 1787. The four-page document established the government of the United States.
The National Archives in Washington, DC, is the permanent home of the US Constitution, along with other founding documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, collectively referred to as the Charters of Freedom. These documents are stored in a 50-ton, steel and concrete, bomb- and fire-proof safe. The National Archives building was designed by the architect John Russell Pope, who aimed to create a structure that would harmonise with other Washington landmarks like the White House and the Capitol, while also expressing the significance and permanence of the records it holds.
The Charters of Freedom were previously controlled by the State Department and were displayed at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876 in Philadelphia. They were then returned to Washington, DC, and displayed in a cabinet within the departmental library until 1894, when they were removed due to fading. The documents remained in storage until 1920, when a committee was formed to advocate for their preservation and exhibition. In 1930, plans for the National Archives building included an exhibition hall to house these important documents. In 1933, President Herbert Hoover announced that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution would be exhibited there.
The Charters of Freedom were finally moved to the National Archives in 1952, after approval from President Truman and Congress. The National Archives then held all the key documents of the nation's founding, and the building became one of the most popular places to visit in Washington, DC. The National Archives is the nation's record keeper, preserving and providing access to records like military documents, naturalisation records, and other historical archives.
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The US Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force
The US Constitution, drafted in 1787, is the oldest and longest-standing codified national constitution in force. It was signed on September 17, 1787, and established the government of the United States. The Constitution has been amended 27 times since its enactment, with the precedent for this practice set in 1789 when Congress proposed the first several Constitutional amendments. The US Constitution is unique in that it is a single document that lays out a comprehensive framework for governing a country.
While the US Constitution is the oldest written national constitution still in use, there are older written constitutions that are still in effect in other parts of the world. For example, the Constitution of San Marino dates back to 1600 and is considered the oldest surviving constitution globally. Similarly, the United Kingdom's unwritten constitution is based on the Magna Carta, which was written in the 13th century.
The US 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). The remaining articles of the Constitution outline the rights and responsibilities of state governments, the relationship between states and the federal government, and the process for amending the Constitution.
The US Constitution is significant because it was the first permanent constitution of its kind and has influenced the constitutions of several other countries. It is considered the supreme law of the land and can only be changed through an extraordinary legislative process of national proposal and state ratification. The Constitution's longevity and impact underscore its importance in shaping the United States' governmental structure and principles.
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The first written constitution of an independent polity was the 1755 Corsican Constitution
The Corsican Constitution was the first to be written in the Italian language. Paoli was sympathetic to Italian culture and considered his native Corsican to be an Italian dialect. He wanted Italian to be the official language of the newly founded Corsican Republic. The text of the constitution included various Enlightenment principles, including female suffrage, which was later revoked by the Kingdom of France when the island was taken over in 1769.
The Corsican Constitution established a legislature, the Corsican Diet (or Consulta Generale), composed of over 300 members. The Diet met once a year when called upon by the head of state and was made up of delegates elected by acclamation from each parish for three-year terms. The legislature enacted laws, regulated taxation, and determined national policy. Paoli's work on the Corsican Constitution and his introduction of reforms, including the founding of a university, made him known as "the precursor of Italian irredentism" by Niccolò Tommaseo.
The Corsican Republic lasted from 1755 until 1769, when the island was taken over by the Kingdom of France. French control was consolidated, and in 1770 Corsica became a province of France. Under French rule, the use of the Corsican language declined in favour of standard French. Italian remained the official language of Corsica until 1859. The fall of Corsica to the French was poorly received by Britain, which was Corsica's main ally and sponsor, and it contributed to the downfall of the Grafton Ministry.
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Constitution Day is a federal observance that commemorates the US Constitution
Constitution Day, also known as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, is a federal observance that commemorates the adoption of the United States Constitution and those who have become US citizens. It is observed annually on September 17, the day the US Constitution was signed in 1787. The day also marks the start of Constitution Week in the United States, which continues through September 23.
The United States Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, established the government of the United States. It is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. The Constitution delineates the frame 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 Constitution was drafted in secret during the summer of 1787 by delegates to the Constitutional Convention, which convened in the State House (now known as Independence Hall) in Philadelphia on May 14, 1787. The delegates debated and redrafted the articles of the new Constitution throughout the summer in closed sessions. The key issues under discussion included the amount of power to be granted to the central government, the number of representatives in Congress for each state, and how these representatives should be elected. The final document, consisting of four pages, was signed on September 17, 1787, by delegates to the Constitutional Convention, thereby establishing the government of the United States.
Constitution Day was established by law in 2004. The law requires all publicly funded educational institutions and federal agencies to provide educational programming on the history of the Constitution on September 17. The day is intended to bring together community members to reflect on the importance of active citizenship, recognize the enduring strength of the Constitution, and reaffirm their commitment to the rights and obligations of citizenship.
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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 was written in Philadelphia, in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall.
The oldest surviving constitution in the world is the Constitution of San Marino, written in 1600.
