Eleanor Finch
The US Constitution, the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force, was written and signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 out of 41 delegates present. The document was ratified by the required nine of the 13 existing states on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to approve it. The Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America, replacing the Articles of Confederation, which was the first constitution of the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of proposal | February 21, 1787 |
| Date of convention | May 25, 1787 |
| Date of signing | September 17, 1787 |
| Number of signatories | 39 |
| Date of ratification by 9 of 13 states | June 21, 1788 |
| Date of ratification by all 13 states | May 29, 1790 |
| Date of ratification of the Bill of Rights | End of 1791 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, among others, feared that the young nation was on the brink of collapse due to disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade. In response, Hamilton led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document. The Confederation Congress endorsed this initiative, and on May 25, 1787, representatives from 12 states convened in Philadelphia. Rhode Island refused to participate.
The initial purpose of the convention was to amend the Articles of Confederation. However, the delegates, wary of centralized power and loyal to their states, created a completely new form of government. They crafted a powerful central government while representing a wide range of interests and views, resulting in a series of compromises. The final document, signed by 38 out of 41 delegates present, with an additional signature by George Reed on behalf of the absent John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total to 39 signatures, stands as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world.
The Constitution delineates the framework of the federal government, with its first three articles embodying the doctrine of the separation of powers. The legislative branch consists of a bicameral Congress, the executive branch is led by the President, and the judicial branch comprises the Supreme Court and other federal courts. The remaining articles elaborate on concepts of federalism, the rights and responsibilities of state governments, and the relationship between the states and the federal government.
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The Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia
The US Constitution was written and approved in the late 18th century, a few years after the Revolutionary War. At this time, America's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, gave the Confederation Congress the authority to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, could not regulate commerce, and could not print money. This, along with disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade, threatened to tear the young nation apart.
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, fearing that their country was on the brink of collapse, helped convince Congress to organize a Grand Convention of state delegates to revise the Articles of Confederation. This Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia in May 1787.
On February 21, 1787, the Confederation Congress called for a convention of state delegates to propose revisions to the Articles of Confederation. The convention was intended to "render the federal constitution adequate to the exigencies of government and the preservation of the Union". On the appointed day, May 14, 1787, only the Virginia and Pennsylvania delegations were present, and the convention's opening meeting was postponed due to a lack of quorum. A quorum of seven states was eventually met on May 25, 1787, and deliberations began. Twelve states were represented, with Rhode Island refusing to participate.
The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia aimed to revise the Articles of Confederation. However, the outcome was the proposal and creation of a new form of government, with a powerful central government. The delegates, representing diverse interests and views, crafted compromises and created a completely new government framework. The convention was a significant step in shaping the future of the United States, resulting in the signing of the new US Constitution on September 17, 1787, by 38 out of 41 delegates present.
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The Articles of Confederation was the first US Constitution
The United States Constitution, the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in the world, was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates. However, the Articles of Confederation, written earlier in mid-June 1777 and adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, was the first US Constitution.
The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was drafted by a committee appointed by the Second Continental Congress. It was ratified by all 13 colonies on March 1, 1781, and was in force until 1789 when the present-day US Constitution came into effect. The Articles gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, and couldn't print money.
The central government, therefore, had insufficient power to regulate commerce, tax, or set commercial policy. It also couldn't effectively support a war effort, and had little power to settle disputes between states. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
In 1786, the Jay-Gardoqui Treaty with Spain also showed weakness in foreign policy. The treaty, which was never ratified, would have seen the US give up rights to use the Mississippi River for 25 years, which would have economically harmed the settlers west of the Appalachian Mountains. The Articles also couldn't compel the British army to leave frontier forts on American soil, which the British had promised to leave in 1783.
In 1787, a convention of state delegates was called in Philadelphia to propose revisions to the Articles. The convention was intended to "render the federal constitution adequate to the exigencies of government and the preservation of the Union". Eventually, 12 states were represented, with Rhode Island refusing to participate. The delegates came up with a completely new form of government, creating a powerful central government.
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The US Constitution was ratified by all states on May 29, 1790
The delegates to the convention were tasked with amending the Articles of Confederation, but ultimately created a new form of government with a more powerful central government. A Committee of Detail was appointed to put the decisions of the convention in writing, and a Committee of Style and Arrangement condensed the 23 articles into seven. The final document was signed by 38 delegates, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total to 39.
Under Article VII, the Constitution required ratification by nine of the 13 states to take effect. The first state to ratify was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify, making the Constitution the official framework of the US government. However, it took until May 29, 1790, for all 13 states to ratify the Constitution, with Rhode Island being the last to approve.
The ratification process was met with opposition from Anti-Federalists, who argued that the Constitution created a powerful central government and lacked a bill of rights. Despite these objections, the Constitution was gradually ratified by all states, and the United States of America elected its first president, George Washington, in the nation's first presidential election, which took place from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789.
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The US Constitution was ratified by New Hampshire on June 21, 1788
The US Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to approve the document. This marked a significant turning point in the country's history, as it established a powerful central government and laid the foundation for the modern United States of America.
The journey towards ratification was long and challenging. Prior to the Constitution, the United States was governed by the Articles of Confederation, which gave significant power to the individual states, resembling independent, sovereign countries. However, the Articles fell short in addressing critical issues such as interstate disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade. The lack of centralized authority and enforcement powers led to concerns about the nation's stability and unity.
In February 1787, the Confederation Congress called for a convention of state delegates in Philadelphia to propose revisions to the Articles of Confederation. The convention, which commenced on May 25, 1787, was led by prominent figures such as Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, who advocated for a stronger central government. The delegates engaged in intense debates, ultimately drafting a completely new form of government rather than amending the existing Articles.
The proposed Constitution faced opposition from Anti-Federalists, who criticized its creation of a powerful central government and the lack of a bill of rights. Despite these objections, the Constitution gained momentum, and by December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The ratification process continued into 1788, with Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina approving the document.
Finally, on June 21, 1788, New Hampshire's ratification pushed the total number of approving states to nine, meeting the requirement under Article VII. This historic moment transformed the Constitution into the official framework of the US government. While the country continued to evolve, this ratification marked a pivotal step in unifying the nation and establishing the enduring principles upon which the United States was founded.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was written in 1787. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May of that year, and the final document was signed by 38 out of 41 delegates on September 17, 1787.
The US Constitution was approved, or ratified, on May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island became the final state to approve the document.
38 of the 41 delegates present at the Constitutional Convention signed the US Constitution. George Reed signed for John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
The US Constitution was written to create a completely new form of government, with a powerful central government. The country had previously been governed by the Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money.
