Brief History

The United States declared its independence from Great Britain in 1776. As the new nation fought to the conclusion of its Revolutionary War in 1783, it organized its government around the framework of the Articles of Confederation, which defined a loose, representative-based collaboration among the original 13 states.

Following the war, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and others grew frustrated with the lack of centralized governmental control and wished to modify the Articles to correct for this. Together, Madison and Hamilton advocated for a convention to amend the Articles to establish a stronger central government. As a result, a group of 55 delegates met in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787, to revise the Articles of Confederation. This became known as the Constitutional Convention.

Instead of revising the Articles, the delegates produced an entirely new document. The United States Constitution was drafted over the course of roughly four months and was written primarily by Madison, Hamilton, and John Jay. It was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 of the 55 delegates, as some had returned home or refused to agree to the new Constitution.

Requiring approval by nine of the 13 states, the Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to approve it. Rhode Island became the 13th and final state to ratify the Constitution on May 29, 1790.

The Constitution established the framework for the federal government of the United States, replacing the Articles of Confederation and binding the original 13 independent states into a single nation. It created three branches of government designed to provide checks and balances on one another: the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch.

Structure

The Constitution consists of a preamble, seven articles, and twenty-seven amendments.

Preamble

The preamble is notable for its eloquence. It was written by Gouverneur Morris, who was known for his elegant writing style.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Articles

The first three articles of the Constitution define the three branches of government. Article I describes the duties of the legislative branch, that is, Congress. Article II defines the executive branch and the presidency. Article III details the role of the judicial branch.

Since the design of the Constitution constructs a system of government in which the branches are coequal — having distinct powers and responsibilities — and provide checks and balances on each other, it might seem at first that three articles would be enough. So what purpose do the other four articles serve?

Article IV establishes the relationship between the states and the federal government, outlining how states must interact with one another and guaranteeing a republican form of government across all states.

Article V explains how the Constitution can be amended. That the Constitution is a living, evolving document is one of the brilliant foresights of its founders. It acknowledges the future brings changes across social, scientific, and other boundaries that the founders cannot anticipate and allows for the will of the people to be upheld in a careful and considered manner over time.

Article VI establishes the Constitution as the supreme law of the nation. It also prohibits religious tests for public office, placing all faiths — and those of no faith — on equal footing in the United States, reflecting the nation’s commitment to religious freedom. Finally, it ensures that the United States assumes responsibility for all debts incurred prior to the signing of the Constitution — an important statement about national fiscal stability.

Finally, Article VII establishes the process by which the Constitution was to be ratified — accepted and put into practice — by the 13 states.

Amendments

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. The Bill of Rights guaranteed personal freedoms, and their passage was considered necessary to garner the support of Anti-Federalists — those opposed to the new Constitution who supported the older, decentralized Articles of Confederation and feared an overly powerful federal government.

As of this writing, there are 27 amendments to the Constitution, the 27th Amendment having been ratified on May 7, 1992.