The Us Constitution: Signed, Sealed, And Delivered

The United States Constitution, the supreme law of the land, was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing of the four-page document by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states, established the federal government of the United States, outlining its framework and the roles of its three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The Constitution was subsequently ratified by the states, with Delaware being the first to do so on December 7, 1787, and Rhode Island being the last on May 29, 1790.

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The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787

The Constitutional Convention was attended by 55 of the 74 chosen delegates, representing 12 of the 13 states (all except Rhode Island, which declined to send delegates). Of those present, 39 signed the Constitution, with 38 signing on September 17 and George Reed signing later on behalf of absent delegate John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. The signatories included 30 men who had served on active military duty, seven who had signed the Declaration of Independence, and the youngest signer, 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton, and the oldest, 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin.

The US Constitution lays out the framework for the nation's federal government and delineates how its three branches (legislative, executive, and judicial) are to function. The document includes an introductory paragraph titled "Preamble", a list of seven Articles that define the government's framework, an untitled closing endorsement with the signatures of the framers, and 27 amendments that have been adopted under Article V. The Preamble's opening words, "We the People", represented a new thought: the idea that the people, not the states, were the source of the government's legitimacy.

Within three days of its signing, the Constitution was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation, then sitting in the nation's temporary capital of New York City. By January 9, 1788, five states had approved the Constitution: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The eventual outcome remained uncertain in pivotal states such as Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia. However, after the Massachusetts Compromise in February 1788, which stipulated that a bill of rights would be proposed, the Constitution was ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and, finally, New Hampshire. The first federal elections were held from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789, and the new government began on March 4, 1789. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document.

39 delegates from 12 states endorsed the Constitution

The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of the 74 delegates chosen to attend, 55 were present and 39 signed the Constitution. The 39 signatories represented 12 states, with Rhode Island being the only state that did not send any delegates to the convention.

The 39 delegates who endorsed the Constitution included Jonathan Dayton, the youngest signer at 26 years old, and Benjamin Franklin, the oldest at 81. Franklin, who was so infirm that he had to be carried to the sessions in a sedan chair, summed up the sentiments of those who signed the document despite their reservations:

> "There are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them. I accept the Constitution because I expect no better and because I am not sure that it is not the best."

The closing endorsement of the Constitution, which Franklin strongly advocated for, served to authenticate the document and provide essential documentation of its validity. The endorsement included a brief declaration of unanimous consent by the states present and the signatures of the delegates.

The signing of the US Constitution marked the culmination of a four-month-long convention that began on May 25, 1787, and was convened to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which established the first national government. The delegates debated competing proposals, such as the "New Jersey Plan," before ultimately producing the document known as the Constitution, which expanded the power of the central government while protecting the prerogatives of the states.

The signing took place at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The signing of the United States Constitution took place on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Independence Hall, then known as the Pennsylvania State House, was the site of the four-month-long Constitutional Convention that culminated in the signing of the Constitution.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, played a significant role in the early history of the United States. It was chosen as the location for the Constitutional Convention, which began on May 25, 1787. The city had symbolic importance as a centre of revolutionary activity during the American Revolution, and its central location made it a convenient meeting place for delegates from the different states.

During the Constitutional Convention, delegates from 12 of the 13 states (all except Rhode Island) gathered to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and create a new governing document. The convention was a heated affair, with delegates representing a wide range of interests and views. Despite these differences, the delegates managed to craft a compromise that resulted in the United States Constitution.

The signing of the Constitution was a historic moment. Of the 74 delegates chosen, 55 attended, and 39 signed the document. The signatories included individuals with experience in local, colonial, and state governments, many of whom had also taken part in the American Revolution. The youngest signer was 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton, while the oldest was 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin.

The Constitution laid out a new framework for the nation's federal government, delineating the functions of its three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. It also introduced the idea that the people, not the states, were the source of the government's legitimacy. The signing of the Constitution marked the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention and the beginning of the process of ratification by the individual states.

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The US Constitution lays out the framework for the nation's federal government

The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states, endorsed the Constitution, which was created during the four-month-long convention. The Constitution lays out the framework for the nation's federal government, delineating how its three branches—the legislative, executive, and judicial—are to function.

The Constitution includes four sections: an introductory paragraph titled "Preamble," a list of seven Articles that define the government's framework, an untitled closing endorsement with the signatures of 39 framers, and 27 amendments that have been adopted under Article V. The Preamble, or the Constitution's introductory paragraph, lays out the purposes of the new government. It begins with the words "We the People," representing the idea that the people, not the states, are the source of the government's legitimacy.

The legislative powers outlined in the Constitution include the ability to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises; to borrow money on the credit of the United States; to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among the states, and with Indian tribes; to establish uniform rules of naturalization and bankruptcy laws; to coin money and regulate its value; and to provide for the punishment of counterfeiting. The legislative branch also has the power to declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water. It can also raise and support armies, call forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, and provide for the organization, arming, and disciplining of the militia.

The executive powers outlined in the Constitution include the ability to appoint officers, with the advice and consent of the Senate. The President is also responsible for regulating and governing the land and naval forces and may grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. The President also has the power, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur.

The judicial powers outlined in the Constitution include the ability to hear cases involving ambassadors, public ministers, and consuls, as well as those involving admiralty and maritime jurisdiction. The Supreme Court also has original jurisdiction over cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls and those in which a state is a party. The judicial branch also has the power to hear controversies between two or more states and between a state and citizens of another state, between citizens of different states, and between citizens of the same state claiming lands under grants of different states.

The Constitution was drafted in secret by delegates to the Constitutional Convention

The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing occurred after a four-month-long Constitutional Convention, during which 55 out of 74 chosen delegates from 12 states (excluding Rhode Island) worked on drafting the Constitution.

The Constitution was drafted in secret by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention. The windows of the State House were shuttered, and the delegates took a vow of secrecy to ensure free and open debate. James Madison, one of the key figures in the process, voted in favour of secrecy, believing that "opinions were so various and at first so crude that it was necessary they should be long debated before any uniform system of opinion should be formed." Madison also feared that without secrecy, many delegates would not have spoken their minds so freely. This rule of secrecy was taken seriously, and when notes from the Virginia plan were found outside the meeting room, Presiding Officer George Washington admonished the delegates, reminding them of the importance of keeping their transactions out of the newspapers.

The delegates to the Constitutional Convention were tasked with revising the existing government under the Articles of Confederation, which had no enforcement powers and could not regulate commerce or print money. However, instead of simply revising the Articles, the delegates ended up creating a completely new form of government. They sought to bolster the authority of the federal government, giving it the power to tax, regulate commerce, and resolve conflicts between the states. They also wanted to prevent the concentration of power, creating a system of checks and balances by dividing federal authority between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches.

The final draft of the Constitution, presented on September 12, 1787, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. On September 17, 39 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing on behalf of the absent John Dickinson of Delaware. The signing of the Constitution marked the endorsement of the document by the delegates, with Benjamin Franklin, the oldest signer at 81, summarising the sentiments of many by stating that while he did not approve of all parts of the Constitution, he accepted it as he "expected no better."

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