Omar Bennett
The original copies of a country's constitution are often kept in secure locations, such as national archives, libraries, or parliament buildings. For example, the original copy of the US Constitution is kept in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, along with the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. On the other hand, the original Indian Constitution, written in both Hindi and English, is kept in a special helium-filled case in the Library of the Parliament of India. These locations ensure the preservation and security of these important documents, allowing the public to view them and learn about their country's history and governance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 4 or 5 |
| Location | National Archives |
| Number of copies printed | 500 |
| Date of signing | 17 September 1787 |
| Date of submission to Congress | 20 September 1787 |
| Date of enactment | 1789 |
| Number of amendments | 27 |
| Number of remaining complete final printings | 12 |
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What You'll Learn
- The original US Constitution is on display at the National Archives
- It was handwritten on five pages of parchment by Jacob Shallus
- copies of the third and final draft were printed in 1787
- The Constitution was amended 27 times since 1789
- The first ten amendments are collectively known as the Bill of Rights
The original US Constitution is on display at the National Archives
The original U.S. Constitution, a handwritten document on four or five pages of parchment by Jacob Shallus, is on permanent display at the National Archives. The document was signed on September 17, 1787, and submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City, the nation's temporary capital, within three days of its signing. The Constitution became operational in 1789 and has since been amended 27 times. The first ten amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, protect individual liberty and justice and restrict government powers within U.S. states.
The National Archives is an important repository for the original copies of the U.S. Constitution. The Archives provide a permanent home for this significant historical document, allowing the public to view and engage with it. The display of the Constitution at the Archives serves as a testament to the country's foundational principles and democratic ideals.
The process of creating the Constitution involved multiple drafts and printings. After the second draft, the Convention ordered the printing of 500 copies of the third and final draft, dated September 17, 1787. This printing was done by Dunlap & Claypoole, resulting in 500 copies of a six-page broadside. There are 12 remaining complete final printings (and one incomplete) of the Constitution known to exist.
The Constitution's main provisions include seven articles that outline the framework of the federal government. Despite amendments, the focus of each article has remained unchanged since its adoption in 1787. The first article describes the Congress, the legislative branch, and establishes election procedures and qualifications for members.
The display of the original Constitution at the National Archives invites visitors to reflect on the country's history and the principles that continue to shape the nation. It serves as a reminder of the efforts made to unite the states and establish a more perfect union, ensuring justice, domestic tranquility, and the welfare of its citizens.
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It was handwritten on five pages of parchment by Jacob Shallus
Jacob Shallus, born in 1750, was the calligrapher or engrosser of the original copy of the United States Constitution. Shallus was the thirty-seven-year-old assistant clerk of the Pennsylvania Assembly at the time. He was chosen for the job due to his experience in engrossing official documents and his proximity to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Shallus was tasked with transcribing the final draft of the Constitution onto parchment, and he completed this task on September 16, 1787, in time for the signing the next day.
Shallus used a goose quill and black ink made of iron filings in oak gall, which later turned brownish, to write the nearly 4,500 words of the Constitution. He wrote over 25,000 letters on four sheets of parchment, measuring 28-3/4 inches by 23-5/8 inches. Shallus also engrossed two resolutions approved by the Convention on an additional half sheet of parchment. For his efforts, he was paid $30 by the Confederation Congress.
While Shallus' name does not appear on the document itself, his identity as the penman was revealed in 1937 during the 150th anniversary of the Constitution. The original handwritten document that he engrossed is on permanent display in the Rotunda of the Charters of Freedom at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C.
The process of engrossing the Constitution was indeed arduous, and Shallus made some mistakes. However, he accomplished a remarkable feat under the circumstances, ensuring that the document was ready for the monumental signing on September 17, 1787.
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500 copies of the third and final draft were printed in 1787
The United States Constitution was first printed by Dunlap & Claypoole in 1787 during the Constitutional Convention. John Dunlap and David C. Claypoole had been printing for the US Congress since 1775 and were designated as its official printer in 1778. During the 1787 Constitutional Convention, Dunlap & Claypoole printed 820 draft copies and 500 final copies.
The process of drafting the US Constitution began in the summer of 1787. The printers produced two printings of committee proposals containing draft text. On August 4, 1787, John Dunlap received the first draft of the Constitution from the Committee of Detail for printing as a seven-page broadside. This draft was turned around in two days for the Convention's members. Copies of this first draft exist in the separately collected papers of the Convention, James Madison, and David Brearley.
On August 6, 1787, the convention accepted the first draft of the Constitution. Rutledge delivered a working draft of the proposed Constitution and provided printed copies to the delegates. On September 12, new copies of the second draft were printed for the convention's members. The amended report was read the next day. Extant copies of this penultimate draft of the Constitution rest in the papers of Madison, Brearley, and George Washington (Library of Congress).
Finally, on September 15, 1787, three days after the second draft was printed, the Convention ordered a printing of 500 copies of the third and final draft. These copies were to be dated September 17, 1787, when the Convention's proceedings and its engrossed Constitution were to be signed. The final printings were produced by Dunlap & Claypoole in Philadelphia on September 27, 1787.
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The Constitution was amended 27 times since 1789
The original United States Constitution is on display at the National Archives, where all four pages of the document are available for permanent public viewing. The Constitution has undergone numerous changes since it was enacted in 1789, with 27 amendments having been ratified and added to the original text.
The process of amending the Constitution is a rigorous one. An amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 states since 1959) through one of two methods: by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states, or by state ratifying conventions in three-fourths of the states. The Twenty-first Amendment, ratified in 1933, is the only amendment to have been ratified by state conventions. This amendment repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, which had established the prohibition of alcohol.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously on December 15, 1791. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments are known as the Reconstruction Amendments. In total, 11,848 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress since 1789, with approximately 200 amendments typically proposed during each two-year term of Congress. However, none of the recent proposals have been successful in becoming part of the Constitution. Since 1999, only about 20 proposed amendments have received a vote by either the full House or Senate.
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The first ten amendments are collectively known as the Bill of Rights
The original copies of the US Constitution are on permanent display at the National Archives. The four-page document was printed in 500 copies, of which 12 complete final printings (and one incomplete) are known to exist.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution are collectively known as the Bill of Rights. These amendments were ratified on December 15, 1791, and limit government power while protecting individual liberties. James Madison wrote the amendments, which include the right to speak and worship freely, the right to bear arms, and the right to be free from unreasonable government intrusion in citizens' homes.
The First Amendment prohibits Congress from making laws that establish a religion or restrict the freedom of speech, the press, the right to assemble, and the right to petition the government. The Second Amendment affirms the right of the people to keep and bear arms, stating that "a well-regulated militia [is] necessary to the security of a free state." The Third Amendment prohibits the quartering of soldiers in civilian homes without consent.
The Fourth Amendment protects citizens' right to privacy, safeguarding them from unreasonable searches and seizures. It requires that warrants be issued only upon probable cause and with a specific description of the place to be searched and items to be seized. The Fifth Amendment covers rights in criminal cases, while the Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to a fair and speedy trial by an impartial jury.
The Seventh Amendment preserves the right to a trial by jury in civil cases involving amounts over twenty dollars, and the Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail, fines, and cruel and unusual punishments. The Ninth Amendment states that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution does not deny or disparage other rights retained by the people. Finally, the Tenth Amendment reserves powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution to the states or the people.
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Frequently asked questions
The original copy of the US Constitution is kept in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. The document is stored alongside the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights in a room called the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom.
The US Constitution was previously controlled by the State Department and was displayed at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876 in Philadelphia. It was then returned to the State, War, and Navy Building in Washington, DC, where it remained until 1920. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge dedicated a public display of the Constitution at the Library of Congress. During World War II, the Constitution was moved to the United States Bullion Depository in Fort Knox, Kentucky, for safekeeping until 1944.
The original copies of the Indian Constitution are stored in the Parliament Library in the Parliament of India. The document is kept in a special helium-filled case.
