History of the US Constitution
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
History of the United States Constitution
The United States Constitution has served as the supreme law of the United States since taking effect in 1789. The document was written at the 1787 Philadelphia Convention and was ratified through a series of state conventions held in 1787 and 1788. Since 1789, the Constitution has been amended twenty-seven times; particularly important amendments include the ten amendments of the United States Bill of Rights, the three Reconstruction Amendments, and the Nineteenth Amendment.
The Constitution grew out of efforts to reform the Articles of Confederation, an earlier constitution which provided for a loose alliance of states with a weak central government. From May 1787 through September 1787, delegates from twelve of the thirteen states convened in Philadelphia, where they wrote a new constitution. Two alternative plans were developed at the convention. The nationalist majority, soon to be called "Federalists", put forth the Virginia Plan, a consolidated government based on proportional representation[a] among the states by population. The "old patriots", later called "Anti-Federalists", advocated the New Jersey Plan, a purely federal proposal, based on providing each state with equal representation. The Connecticut Compromise allowed for both plans to work together. Other controversies developed regarding slavery and a Bill of Rights in the original document.
Historian Jill Lepore explores the Constitution and its interpretations in ‘We the People’
by Geoff Bennett 19/9/25 PBS NEWS
Originalism is often countered by the idea that the Constitution is a living, breathing document meant to be interpreted and changed along with the times. Jill Lepore is a historian at Harvard University and author of the new book, “We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution.” Geoff Bennett sat down with Lepore for our series, On Democracy.
Introduction
In the years following World War I, America was gripped by the fear that the Communist Revolution that had taken place in Russia would spread to the United States. As is often the case when fear outweighs rational debate, civil liberties paid the price. In November 1919 and January 1920, in what notoriously became known as the “Palmer Raids,” Attorney General Mitchell Palmer began rounding up and deporting so-called radicals. Thousands of people were arrested without warrants and without regard to constitutional protections against unlawful search and seizure. Those arrested were brutally treated and held in horrible conditions.
The Bill of Rights: A Brief History
In the summer of 1787, delegates from the 13 states convened in Philadelphia and drafted a remarkable blueprint for self-government -- the Constitution of the United States. The first draft set up a system of checks and balances that included a strong executive branch, a representative legislature and a federal judiciary.
Defend the rights of all people nationwide
The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union — beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.
Race, Class, and the Constitutional Convention
Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow. 2025. 36 pages.
This is a unit with three lessons. The first invites students to think critically about key issues that confronted the framers of the Constitution — examining the perspectives not only of the elites attending the actual Constitutional Convention, but also of enslaved African Americans, poor white farmers, and white workers.
We the Elites: Why the U.S. Constitution Serves the Few
This collection of essays exposes the U.S. Constitution for what it really is — a rulebook to protect capitalism for the elites.
The Federalist and the Republican Party
By the time Alexander Hamilton died on the dueling grounds of Weehawken, New Jersey, the power of the Federalist Party was in terminal decline. Federalism was born in 1787, when Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison wrote 85 essays collectively known as the Federalist papers. These eloquent political documents encouraged Americans to adopt the newly-written Constitution and its stronger central government.
Why does the U.S. have presidential term limits? The history of the 22nd Amendment
This tradition was established by the decisions of early presidents such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison not to seek a third term. This tradition was later adopted by other presidents.
Sept. 17, 1787: U.S. Constitution Signed
The U.S. Constitution endorsed slavery and favored the interests of the owning classes. What kind of Constitution would have resulted from founders who were representative of the entire country?
Teach Truth on Constitution Day
Each September, schools across the country celebrate Constitution Day — students create posters praising the document, watch patriotic videos, or recite the Preamble — rather than engage in critical inquiry. These rituals present the Constitution as a sacred text, not a document created and amended through struggle. From liberal to conservative circles, Constitution Day is too often framed as a celebration of “American exceptionalism” rather than an invitation to think critically about the rights the Constitution guarantees — and the ones it doesn’t.
Hamilton and the U.S. Constitution
In May 1787, the democratic government that had emerged from the American Revolution was only eight years old. But already, it threatened to crumble. Although the Articles of Confederation had organized the 13 states into a loose union, the Articles proved inadequate to the task of effectively governing that union.
June 13, 1866: 14th Amendment Passed
by ZINN EDUCATION PROJECT 1865
On June 13, 1866, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed. This Amendment, known as the one of the three Reconstruction Amendments, granted citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States.” The 14th Amendment forbid states to deny any person “life, liberty, or property, without due process of law” or to deny any person “equal protection of the laws.” The amendment was adopted on July 9, 1868. See a full copy of 14th Amendment at the National Archives.
Immigrants’ Rights Advocates Sue Trump Administration Over Birthright Citizenship Executive Order
The case was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of New Hampshire, ACLU of Maine, ACLU of Massachusetts, Asian Law Caucus, State Democracy Defenders Fund, and Legal Defense Fund on behalf of organizations with members whose babies born on U.S. soil will be denied citizenship under the order, including New Hampshire Indonesian Community Support, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Make the Road New York.
Mary Beth Tinker on Constitution Day
by ZINN EDUCATION PROJECT 5/9/25
In preparation for Teach Truth on Constitution Day in 2025, a consortium of groups produced an instruction video for teachers called Teach Truth on Constitution Day Planning Session for Educators — Our Freedoms, Our Futures. The video opened with remarks from free speech activitist Mary Beth Tinker (Tinker v. Des Moines). Representatives from the NEA, the American Constitution Society, Zinn Education Project, and AFT’s Share My Lesson shared examples of teaching resources on the Constitution.
March 30, 1870: Fifteenth Amendment
On March 30, 1870, the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution was formally adopted. It had been ratified on February 3, 1870 as the third and last of the Reconstruction Amendments. On March 30, Secretary of State Hamilton Fish proclaimed the 15th Amendment to be officially part of the U.S. Constitution.
Hundreds of Teachers Sign Up to Teach Truth on Constitution Day
by ZINN EDUCATION PROJECT 9/9/25
We have heard from teachers in every state and territory except (so far) North Dakota. In preparation for the day, the National Education Association, the American Constitution Society, Zinn Education Project, and AFT’s Share My Lesson hosted a webinar with introductory remarks by free speech activitist Mary Beth Tinker (Tinker v. Des Moines).
Trump’s disregard for US constitution ‘a blitzkrieg on the law’, legal experts say
by Steven Greenhouse 1/2/25 The Guardian
Donald Trump’s rapid-fire and controversial moves that have ranged from banning birthright citizenship to firing 18 inspectors general means the US president has shown a greater willingness than his predecessors to violate the constitution and federal law, some historians and legal scholars say.
The Court and Democracy
The Supreme Court plays a crucial but paradoxical role in American democracy. Many Americans think of it as the head of the least democratic branch of the federal government, designed by the framers of the U.S. Constitution to protect vulnerable minorities against the tyranny of the majority. From the decisions protecting the free speech of accused Communists in the Cold War era to the recent decisions protecting the rights of suspected terrorists after 9/11, the Court, at its best, has often appeared to defend fundamental principles of freedom and equality in the face of popular opposition. Nearly all of the most controversial issues in American politics -- from school prayer and gay rights to affirmative action and abortion -- end up before the Court, and justices are appointed for life precisely so they can consider these issues in constitutional rather than political terms.
Teaching the American Revolution
by ZINN EDUCATION PROJECT 15/11/25
On Constitution Day, the U.S. Department of Education launched the America 250 Civics Coalition as part of this administration’s plans to celebrate “a new era of American greatness.” The coalition of 40 organizations includes the Heritage Foundation, Hillsdale College, Moms for Liberty, PragerU, and Turning Point USA. (Read background on this coalition in Authors Against Book Bans.)
Two perspectives on originalism and the Constitution
In two conversations about that debate, News Hour discussed ways the Supreme Court and others have interpreted the document through the centuries. One interpretation, originalism, is often countered by the idea that the Constitution is a living, breathing document meant to be interpreted and changed along with the times.
=====Popular NPR Host Hits the Road to Explore America’s Most Revered — and Misunderstood — Document Premiering Spring 2013 on PBS===== by pbs publicity 17/8/20 PBS
LOS ANGELES, CA -- JULY 21, 2012 -- CONSTITUTION USA with Peter Sagal takes to the road for a fresh and surprising journey through the 4,418 words — and 27 amendments — that made America. Breathing new life into the traditional civics lesson, Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s popular “Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me” travels across country on a Harley Davidson to find out where the Constitution lives, how it works and how it doesn’t … how it unites us as a nation, and how it has nearly torn us apart.
“The Constitution was, and is, an imperfect document, and its strength lies in the ongoing arguments about its meaning, as much as what’s in the original text,” Sagal says. “I’m looking forward to digging into this stuff … And also, getting to ride a motorcycle.”
Louisiana Officially Disenfranchises Black Voters and Jurors
On May 12, 1898, the State of Louisiana adopted a new constitution with numerous restrictive provisions intended to exclude African American men from civic participation. At this time in the U.S., women of all races remained barred from voting, while Black men had recently gained the right to vote under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
The Constitution in the 100-Mile Border Zone
According to the government, however, these basic constitutional principles do not apply fully at our borders. For example, at border crossings (also called "ports of entry"), federal authorities do not need a warrant or even suspicion of wrongdoing to justify conducting what courts have called a "routine search," such as searching luggage or a vehicle.
The U.S. Postal Service Was Never a Business. Stop Treating it Like One.
When the Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General, our nation had not yet been founded. The Bill of Rights would not be drafted for another 16 years. Yet nearly two and a half centuries later, the United States Postal Service’s ability to provide every person in America with a private, affordable, and reliable means to exchange information transformed it from a mail delivery service into a baseline for the exercise of American constitutional rights.
We the People”: Whose Rights Does the Constitution Protect?
by Jesse Hagopian ZINN EDUCATION PROJECT
In a time when powerful figures claim to defend the Constitution while undermining it, students must know their rights — not just to pass a test, but to protect themselves. They need to understand their right to remain silent (5th Amendment); their right to birthright citizenship, due process and equal protection of the law for all people (14th Amendment); and their right to speak out and protest injustice (1st Amendment); and their protection from unreasonable searches and seizures (4th Amendment), which is especially critical today as surveillance technologies expand and law enforcement agencies disproportionately target marginalized communities.
The United States Bill of Rights: First 10 Amendments to the Constitution
THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.
Supreme Court History
A simple definition of the chief justice, perhaps, but the road to defining the modern Supreme Court as the pinnacle of the American justice system has been a hard-fought and controversial journey.
Conscience and the Constitution
by Frank Abe ZINN EDUCATION PROJECT
In 1944, 63 young men stood trial for resisting the draft at the concentration camp at Heart Mountain, Wyoming. Seven leaders were accused of conspiring to encourage them. The dissidents served two years in prison, and for the next 50 were written out of the popular history of Japanese America.
The Constitutional Bind: How Americans Came to Idolize a Document That Fails Them
Some in the United States today worry that the Federal Constitution is ill-equipped to respond to mounting democratic threats and may even exacerbate the worst features of U.S. politics. Yet for as long as anyone can remember, the Constitution has occupied a quasi-mythical status in U.S. political culture, which ties ideals of liberty and equality to assumptions about the inherent goodness of the text’s design. The Constitutional Bind explores how a flawed document came to be so glorified and how this has impacted life in the United States.
CONSTITUTION USA
CONSTITUTION USA, a production of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning team of tptNational Productions and Insignia Films, is hosted by Peter Sagal, the smart, sharp-witted star of NPR’s popular Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!. Over the course of the four-hour series, Sagal hits the road, travelling cross country on a customized red, white and blue Harley-Davidson, to find out where the Constitution lives, how it works, and how it unites us as a nation.
=====‘Nothing like this in American history’: the crisis of Trump’s assault on the rule of law This article is more than 8 months old Ed Pilkington===== by The Guardian
hen the chief justice of the US supreme court, John Roberts, delivered his bombshell ruling last July granting Donald Trump absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts, he laid out his vision of an expansive presidency. The executive, he wrote, should be “vigorous and energetic”, and free to carry out duties “boldly and fearlessly”.
Electoral College is ‘vestige’ of slavery, say some Constitutional scholars
by Kamala Kelkar 6/11/16 PBS NEWS
During that same speech on Thursday, July 19, Madison instead proposed a prototype for the same Electoral College system the country uses today. Each state has a number of electoral votes roughly proportioned to population and the candidate who wins the majority of votes wins the election.
A People’s History of the Supreme Court: The Men and Women Whose Cases and Decisions Have Shaped Our Constitution
In A People’s History of the Supreme Court, Peter Irons chronicles the decisions that have influenced virtually every aspect of U.S. society, from the debates over judicial power to rulings in the past regarding slavery, racial segregation, and abortion, as well as cases about school prayer, the Bush/Gore election results, and “enemy combatants.” [Publisher’s description.]
It’s Constitution Day! Time to Teach Obedience or History?
by ZINN EDUCATION PROJECT 14/9/12
Pearson-Prentice Hall’s high school textbook, United States History, opens its chapter on the Constitution with this Daniel Webster quote: “We may be tossed upon an ocean where we can see no land — not, perhaps, the sun and stars.
Dec. 18, 1865: Ratification of 13th Amendment
On Dec. 18, 1865, following its ratification by the requisite three-quarters of the states earlier in the month, the 13th Amendment was formally adopted into the U.S. Constitution, ensuring that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude. . . shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Constitution of the United States—A History
May 25, 1787, freshly spread dirt covered the cobblestone street in front of the Pennsylvania State House, protecting the men inside from the sound of passing carriages and carts. Guards stood at the entrances to ensure that the curious were kept at a distance. Robert Morris of Pennsylvania, the "financier" of the Revolution, opened the proceedings with a nomination--Gen. George Washington for the presidency of the Constitutional Convention.
We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution
"In this remarkably engaging and deeply researched work, one of America’s most important living historians illuminates the most vital quality of our Constitution: its capacity for renewal."
― Pete Buttigieg, former secretary of transportation
The Constitution: How Did it Happen?
Just a few years after the Revolutionary War, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared their young country was on the brink of collapse. America’s first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn’t regulate commerce, or print money. The states’ disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart. Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organize a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation.
A HISTORY OF THE CONSTITUTION
The United States Constitution was constructed on September 17, 1787 after months of conflicting views, heated debates and clashing ideas finally yielded to compromise and thoughtful reconsiderations. The founders of the Constitution were delegates appointed by the state legislatures to represent each state’s welfare. They had first convened in the Philadelphia statehouse as a quorom of 55 emissaries on May 25, 1787. Of the thirteen original states, only independent-minded Rhode Island declined to participate. The group’s express original purpose was to revise the Articles of Confederation, our nation’s first constitution that was constructed in 1777 after the Revolutionary War with Great Britain.
The United States Constitution
by NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER
Beginning with the words “We the People,” the U.S. Constitution is composed of the Preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights.
Constitutional Convention and Ratification, 1787–1789
The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia met between May and September of 1787 to address the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation. The United States Constitution that emerged from the convention established a federal government with more specific powers, including those related to conducting relations with foreign governments. Under the reformed federal system, many of the responsibilities for foreign affairs fell under the authority of an executive branch, although important powers, such as treaty ratification, remained the responsibility of the legislative branch.
The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription
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.
Historical Context: The Survival of the US Constitution
by Steven Mintz History Resources
The United States has the oldest written national framework of government in the world. At the end of the twentieth century, there were about 159 other national constitutions in the world, and 101 had been adopted since 1970. While the United States has been governed by a single framework of government for over two centuries, France, in contrast, has had 10 separate and distinct constitutional orders (including five republics, two empires, a monarchy, and two dictatorships). The country of El Salvador has had 36 constitutions since 1824.
Constitution of the United States
The drafting of the Constitution by many of the nation's Founding Fathers, often referred to as its framing, was completed at the Constitutional Convention, which assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787.[4] Influenced by English common law and the Enlightenment liberalism of philosophers like John Locke and Montesquieu, the Constitution's first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, in which the federal government is divided into the legislative, bicameral Congress;[c] the executive, led by the president;[d] and the judiciary, within which the Supreme Court has apex jurisdiction.[e] Articles IV, V, and VI embody concepts of federalism, describing the rights and responsibilities of state governments, the states in relationship to the federal government, and the process of constitutional amendment. Article VII establishes the procedure used to ratify the constitution.
Constitution of the United States: Primary Documents in American History
The members of the Constitutional Convention signed the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Constitutional Convention convened in response to dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation and the need for a strong centralized government. After four months of secret debate and many compromises, the proposed Constitution was submitted to the states for approval. Although the vote was close in some states, the Constitution was eventually ratified and the new Federal government came into existence in 1789. The Constitution established the U.S. government as it exists today.
Timeline of the Constitution
From the beginning of the Revolution to the adoption of the Bill of Rights, trace the timeline of the American Constitution.
Constitutional History in the United States
While the United States Constitution was not written until 1787, American constitutional history began well before then. From the nation’s beginnings as a collection of British colonies to its declaration of independence and beyond, many historical developments played a role in the development of the Constitution and constitutional history from 1787 until now.
Constitutional history of United States
The United States of America consists of fifty states, one federal district and several territories. Forty-eight contiguous states sit between Mexico to the south and Canada to the north. Alaska, the forty-ninth state, is located to the west of Canada, and Hawaii, the fiftieth, is an island located in the Pacific Ocean.
Proposal for a Constitution
by NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY
Adopting a new frame of government also required Americans to make a leap of faith. After a long war and many disputes, supporters of the U.S. Constitution declared the need for a stable, central government to “secure the blessings of liberty” to Americans.
The US Constitution through History
America was born out of a group of ideas and a series of conflicts with England. Begin your course on the US Constitution with a look at the English tradition that underpins American law and the tensions with England that led to revolution.
America's Founding Documents High Resolution Downloads
These images are in the public domain and no permission is required to use them. Please credit the National Archives as the original source.
Learn about the United States' founding documents
The Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights, known together as the Charters of Freedom, established the government’s structure and continue to secure the rights of American citizens.
Adopting the constitution, 1987-1988
by NATIONAL MUSEUM FOR AMERICAN HISTORY
Adopting a new frame of government also required Americans to make a leap of faith. After a long war and many disputes, supporters of the U.S. Constitution declared the need for a stable, central government to “secure the blessings of liberty” to Americans.
The US Constitution through History
America was born out of a group of ideas and a series of conflicts with England. Begin your course on the US Constitution with a look at the English tradition that underpins American law and the tensions with England that led to revolution.
Constitution of the United States of America
by Britannica Editors 25/11/25 Britannica
Constitution of the United States of America, the fundamental law of the U.S. federal system of government and a landmark document of the Western world. The oldest written national constitution in use, the Constitution defines the principal organs of government and their jurisdictions and the basic rights of citizens. (For a list of amendments to the U.S. Constitution, see below.)
U.S. Constitution signed
The Constitution of the United States of America is signed by 39 delegates present at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Supporters of the document waged a hard-won battle to win ratification by the necessary nine out of 13 U.S. states.
Constitution of the United States
To Form a More Perfect Union
An essay from the Library of Congress' American Memory Project on the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention.
What is the U.S. Constitution?
The Declaration of Independence was written in 1776. It was a list of grievances against the king of England intended to justify separation from British rule.
History & the Constitution
The Supreme Court is using flawed history to roll back individual rights and shrink the federal government’s power to solve problems.
The U.S. Constitution: Preamble
The preamble sets the stage for the Constitution (Archives.gov). It clearly communicates the intentions of the framers and the purpose of the document. The preamble is an introduction to the highest law of the land; it is not the law. It does not define government powers or individual rights.
Constitution Day: Origin of the Constitution
The year is 1787. The Articles of Confederation are a failure as a design for government. Congress has no ability to raise or collect taxes. The Government cannot pay its debts or the soldiers who had fought in the Revolution. The individual States are fighting amongst themselves with the larger states abusing the smaller ones. Interstate trade and commerce are in chaos.
Meet the Framers of the Constitution
The original states, except Rhode Island, collectively appointed 70 individuals to the Constitutional Convention. A number of these individuals did not accept or could not attend, including Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock. In all, 55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention sessions, but only 39 actually signed the Constitution. The delegates ranged in age from Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, to Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, who was so infirmed that he had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair.
The US Constitution Through History
Unpack the ideas of America's founding and trace the evolution of those ideas through the schisms of the 19th century, the transformations of the 20th century, and into our present era.
What is the historical background of the U.S. Constitution?
Our government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” was not a copy of some other country or governance concept. It was completely new to the world. World scholars called it the great experiment, and they fully expected it to fail.
Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
by NATIONAL ARCHIVES FOUNDATION
More than 11,000 amendments to the Constitution of the United States have been proposed, but only 27 have been ratified. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. The 1789 Joint Resolution of Congress proposing these amendments is on display in the National Archives’ Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom.
