Every year on September 17th, we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence with holidays, parades, and fireworks. But what about the Constitution? The legal pact that we all cherish, debate, and sometimes even die to defend. This year marks the 236th anniversary of the day the framers signed the Constitution and sent it to the states for ratification. It took three more years before all the states agreed to the Constitution.
National Park Service
The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States. These four large sheets of parchment define the structure and authority of the federal government. In 1789, the Constitution was entrusted to the Department of State, where it remained until 1921 when it was transferred to the Library of Congress. From 1924 to 1954, it was exhibited at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Nowadays, you can see the four sheets of the Constitution on display at the National Archives.
A Lasting Impact
The creation of the U.S. Constitution was not an easy task. The framers had different ideas and engaged in four months of intense debate. Even on signing day, Benjamin Franklin expressed mixed approval, stating “there are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve… But I’m not sure I shall never approve them.” Despite the initial reservations, the U.S. Constitution has endured as the world’s longest-surviving written charter of government and remains a model for democratic nations worldwide.
Article I assigns the legislative branch with the responsibility of making laws.
Article II outlines the executive branch, including the president and vice president.
Article III establishes the judicial branch, with the U.S. Supreme Court serving as the highest court in the federal court system.
The Constitution consists of seven articles.
The Ratification Process
It took 10 months for the first nine states to ratify the Constitution, officially making it effective on June 21, 1788. The remaining states joined later, including Rhode Island, which did not attend the Constitutional Convention. The ratification process was fiercely contested in many states, with some approving unanimously.
Test Your Knowledge
Q1: The bill of rights is:
A) The first 10 amendments
B) The 15th amendment
C) The entire Constitution
Answer: A. The Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791, was added to check the power of the federal government and protect the individual rights of Americans.
Q2: Who wrote the preamble?
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, 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.”
A) F. Scott Fitzgerald
B) Benjamin Franklin
C) Gouverneur Morris
Answer: C. Gouverneur Morris, one of the five writers of the Constitution, is credited with writing the preamble.
Q3: What was our country’s first Constitution called?
A) The Articles of Confederation
B) The Federalist Papers
C) The Emancipation Proclamation
Answer: A. The Articles of Confederation was the first governing document of the United States before the Constitution.
Q4: In what city was the Constitutional Convention held?
A) Philadelphia
B) New York
C) Washington, D.C.
Answer: A. The Constitutional Convention took place in Philadelphia from May to September of 1787.
Q5: Which of these Founding Fathers did not attend the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia?
A) Thomas Jefferson
B) John Hancock
C) John Adams
D) All of them
Answer: D. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and John Hancock did not attend the Convention.
Q6: Does the Constitution require the speaker of the House to be a member of Congress?
A) Yes
B) No
Answer: B. While the Constitution does not require the speaker of the House to be a member of Congress, a nonmember has never been chosen as the speaker.
Q7: How many signers of the Declaration of Independence also signed the Constitution?
A) 76
B) 6
C) 12
Answer: B. Six signers of the Declaration of Independence, namely George Read, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, George Clymer, and James Wilson, also signed the Constitution.
If you answered 5-7 questions correctly, congratulations, you have the knowledge of a Supreme Court Justice!
The Amendments Over the Years
The first 10 amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. Since then, there have been 27 amendments to the Constitution.
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