Simone Lawson
The US Constitution, written in 1787 and ratified in 1788, is the world's longest-surviving written constitution. The Founding Fathers intended the document to be flexible to accommodate the changing needs of the country. The first draft of the Constitution was accepted on August 6, 1787, and the final draft was read to 42 delegates on September 17, 1787. The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. The first three amendments, known as the Reconstruction Amendments, were passed in the aftermath of the Civil War to realise the founders' ideal of all men being created equal.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the first draft of the Constitution | August 6, 1787 |
| Date of the final draft of the Constitution | September 17, 1787 |
| Number of delegates who signed the Constitution | 39 |
| Date the Constitution became the official framework of the government of the USA | June 21, 1788 |
| Number of amendments to the Constitution since the Bill of Rights was adopted in 1791 | 23 |
| Number of amendments ratified by the states | 17 |
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What You'll Learn
- The first draft of the US Constitution was accepted on August 6, 1787
- The final draft was read to delegates on September 17, 1787
- The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787
- The Constitution became the official framework of the US government on June 21, 1788
- The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791
The first draft of the US Constitution was accepted on August 6, 1787
The US Constitution is the world's longest-surviving written constitution, but it has been altered and expanded several times since it was first drafted in 1787. The Founding Fathers intended the document to be flexible to accommodate the changing needs and circumstances of the country.
The Committee of Detail consisted of Nathaniel Gorham of Massachusetts, John Rutledge, Edmund Randolph, James Wilson, and Oliver Ellsworth. While they worked on the draft, the other delegates took a 10-day break. On August 6, 1787, the convention accepted the first draft of the Constitution. The drafting process, often referred to as its framing, was completed on September 17, 1787, when the final draft was read to the remaining delegates, and 39 of them signed the document.
The Constitution then went through a long and arduous process of ratification. The Federalists supported the Constitution, while the Anti-Federalists opposed it due to its creation of a powerful central government. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The Constitution became the official framework of the US government on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
The Constitution has been amended 27 times since it became operational in 1789. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and offer specific protections of individual liberty and justice and restrictions on the powers of the government. The majority of the 17 later amendments expand individual civil rights protections, while others address federal authority or modify government processes.
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The final draft was read to delegates on September 17, 1787
The US Constitution is the world's longest-surviving written constitution. It was written in 1787 and ratified by nine of the original 13 states a year later. The final draft was read to 42 delegates on September 17, 1787, and 39 of those delegates signed the document. George Reed signed on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, who was absent, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. The delegates were tasked with revising the existing government, but they ended up creating an entirely new system.
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787. The convention was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had been America's first constitution after the Revolutionary War. The Articles gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers and couldn't regulate commerce or print money. The delegates to the convention were chosen by the state legislatures of 12 of the 13 original states; Rhode Island refused to send delegates. The convention's initial mandate was to amend the Articles of Confederation, but the delegates soon began considering measures to replace them.
The drafting of the Constitution, often referred to as its framing, was completed at the Constitutional Convention, which met between May 25 and September 17, 1787. The convention was convened by Alexander Hamilton, who, along with James Madison and John Jay, led the lobbying efforts for votes in favour of ratifying the Constitution. They produced 85 essays, known as "The Federalist Papers," which explained and defended how the proposed new government would function. These essays were published in newspapers nationwide.
The first draft of the Constitution was accepted on August 6, 1787. After the final draft was read on September 17, it was submitted to the states for ratification. The state of Delaware was the first to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The Constitution became the official framework of the US government on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. The Constitution has been amended 27 times since it became operational in 1789. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791.
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The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787
The US Constitution was first signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787, with an additional signature by George Reed on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total to 39. The document was then sent to the states for ratification, requiring approval by nine of the 13 former colonies to come into effect.
Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution, doing so unanimously (30-0) on December 7, 1787, earning it the nickname "The First State". The state's delegates contributed significantly to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, particularly in addressing the issue of small versus large state representation.
The ratification of the Constitution by Delaware was a crucial step in the formation of the United States as a federal democracy. The state's early support for the Constitution helped to set a precedent and encouraged other states to follow suit. Delaware's ratification also demonstrated the state's desire for a stronger national government than what was provided under the Articles of Confederation.
The process of ratifying the Constitution was not without challenges. At the time, only six of the 13 states reported a pro-Constitution majority. The Federalists, who supported the Constitution, faced opposition from the Anti-Federalists, who feared the creation of a powerful central government reminiscent of the one they had recently overthrown.
The "`vote now, amend later'" compromise played a pivotal role in securing victory in Massachusetts and eventually in the final holdout states. Delaware's unanimous ratification, along with New Jersey and Georgia, set the stage for the establishment of the federal government under the Constitution.
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The Constitution became the official framework of the US government on June 21, 1788
The US Constitution, written in 1787, is the world's longest-surviving written constitution. It was ratified by nine of the original 13 states on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it, and it became the official framework of the US government. The journey to ratification was long and arduous. The Founding Fathers intended the document to be flexible to fit the changing needs and circumstances of the country.
The US Constitution was formed in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, when James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared that their young country was on the brink of collapse. America's first constitution, 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. The disputes between the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the country apart.
Hamilton and Madison led the lobbying efforts for votes in favor of ratifying the Constitution. With assistance from John Jay, they produced 85 essays known as "The Federalist Papers," which explained and defended how the proposed new government would function. The essays were published in newspapers nationwide. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
The Constitution has been amended 27 times since it became operational in 1789. The first ten amendments, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, offer specific protections of individual liberty and justice and place restrictions on the powers of the government within the US states. The majority of the 17 later amendments expand individual civil rights protections, while others address issues related to federal authority or modify government processes and procedures.
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The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791
The US Constitution was first altered on December 15, 1791, when the first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified.
The US Constitution, written in 1787 and ratified by nine of the original 13 states a year later, is the world’s longest-surviving written constitution. The Founding Fathers intended the document to be flexible to fit the changing needs and circumstances of the country.
The road to ratification was long and challenging. The Federalists supported the Constitution, believing that a strong central government was necessary to meet the nation's challenges. On the other hand, the Anti-Federalists opposed it, arguing that it created a powerful central government reminiscent of the one they had overthrown, and lacked a bill of rights.
The ratification campaign was intense, and the tide turned in Massachusetts with the "vote now, amend later" compromise, which helped secure victory and eventually led to the inclusion of the Bill of Rights. The Constitution was ratified by the required nine states, with Delaware being the first, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and New Hampshire.
The Bill of Rights, consisting of the first ten amendments, was introduced to address the concerns raised by the Anti-Federalists and to protect individual liberties and justice and place restrictions on the powers of the government within the US states. These amendments were ratified on December 15, 1791, marking the first time the Constitution was altered.
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Frequently asked questions
The first draft of the US Constitution was written on August 6, 1787.
The US Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
The first ten amendments to the US Constitution, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791.
The first major change made to the US Constitution was the addition of the Bill of Rights, which included the first ten amendments.
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