Constitution Day - Basic Facts About the US Constitution
What
is the Constitution?
The Constitution is the document that sets up the current government of the United States. It was created to replace a previous government that we had called the Articles of Confederation (which was a pretty lame government). The Constitution creates the branches of the government (Executive, Legislative and Judicial) and the layers of Government (Federal, State and Local). The Constitution starts with the words “We the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect union..” (Look at the ten dollar bill).
The completion and signing was on Sept 17, 1787
What is the Declaration of Independence?
The Declaration of Independence is the document that declares our independence from Great Britain. It was signed on July 4, 1776. The Declaration is what really ticked the English off and got us full involved in the Revolutionary War.
Who is credited with writing the Constitution?
James Madison is usually given most of the credit. Ben Franklin had quite a bit of input as well. Thomas Jefferson (who wrote the Declaration of Independence) did not want to be involved in the creation of the Constitution.
George Washington and the Constitution
The Constitution took effect after 9 of the 13 states ratified it by June 1788.
This new government created the post of President of the United States and George Washington was elected the first president in November 1788. During the first election there were no political parties and George Washing ran unopposed. All original 13 states ratified the Constitution by 1789.
Has the constitution changed?
Yes, 27 times since it was first ratified. A change to the Constitution is called an amendment. The first ten amendments to the constitution are called the Bill of Rights and those were all added in 1791. It was added to satisfy the states worried about the rights of individuals.
The Bill of Rights includes things like Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press, The Right to Bear Arms, No cruel and unusual punishment, search warrants are required, Swift and speedy trial etc. Despite what you might think, the Bill of Rights is still in effect.
Who can change the Constitution?
The people of the United States change the Constitution. Anyone can propose a change but it is up to the states to agree to the change. A proposal must gain the support of two-thirds of the House and Senate, AND three-fourths of the states. As a result, of the thousands of proposed amendments, only 27 have passed. The President and Supreme Court are not involved in the amendment. Unlike a law, the President does not sign an amendment nor can they veto the amendment.
How long is the Constitution?
The original Constitution is just four pages long. The U.S. Constitution has 4,400 words. It is the oldest and the shortest written constitution of any government in the world. During the daytime, pages one and four of the document are displayed in a bullet-proof case in the National Archives. At night, the pages are lowered into a vault, behind five-ton doors that are designed to withstand a nuclear explosion. The entire Constitution is displayed only one day a year, September 17, the anniversary of the day the framers signed the document.
