What is the Constitution simple definition?
A constitution is a set of rules that guides how a country, state, or other political organization works. The constitution may tell what the branches of the government are, what powers they have, and how they work. It may also state the rights of citizens. The government’s other laws are not allowed to disagree with its constitution.
What are facts about the Constitution?
The Constitution of the United States: Fast Facts The U. S Constitution was written in the same Pennsylvania State House where the Declaration of Independence was signed... Written in 1787, the Constitution was signed on September 17. But it wasn’t until 1788 that it was ratified by the... The U.S. ...
What was America's first constitution called?
America’s first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, was ratified in 1781, a time when the nation was a loose confederation of states, each operating like independent countries. The national government was comprised of a single legislature, the Congress of the Confederation; there was no president or judicial branch.
What is the history behind the Constitution?
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 and the three Reconstruction Amendments .
What is the constitution?
1 a : the basic principles and laws of a nation, state, or social group that determine the powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the people in it. b : a written instrument embodying the rules of a political or social organization. 2 a : the physical makeup of the individual especially ...
What is the British Constitution?
A constitution now usually contains the fundamental law and principles with which all other laws must conform. Unlike the U.S. Constitution, the British Constitution is not set down in a comprehensive document, but is found in a variety of statutes (as the Magna Carta) and in common law.
What is the definition of a government?
1 : the basic principles and laws of a nation, state, or social group that determine the powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the people in it.
What is the definition of a nation?
3 : the basic beliefs and laws of a nation, state, or social group by which the powers and duties of the government are established and certain rights are guaranteed to the people or a document that sets forth these beliefs and laws.
Who was right when he described the Constitution?
It remains the object of reverence for nearly all Americans and an object of admiration by peoples around the world. William Gladstone was right in 1878 when he described the U.S.
Why is the Constitution so strong?
Part of the reason for the Constitution's enduring strength is that it is the complement of the Declaration of Independence.
What are the themes of the draft of the Constitution?
The first, reflecting the mandate of the Declaration of Independence, was the recognition that the ultimate authority of a legitimate government depends on the consent of a free people.
How to know if a government is legitimate?
The natural standard for judging if a government is legitimate is whether that government rests on the consent of the governed. Any political powers not derived from the consent of the governed are, by the laws of nature, illegitimate and hence unjust.
What is the Constitution's just claim to our confidence and respect?
The Constitution and the government it establishes "has a just claim to [our] confidence and respect," George Washington wrote in his Farewell Address (1796), because it is "the offspring of our choice, uninfluenced and unawed, adopted upon full investigation and mature deliberation, completely free in its principles, in the distribution of its powers uniting security with energy , and containing , within itself , a provision for its own amendment."
When he cautioned judges never to forget it is a constitution they are expounding, what is the?
Maryland (1819) when he cautioned judges never to forget it is a constitution they are expounding. The Constitution--the original document of 1787 plus its amendments--is and must be understood to be the standard against which all laws, policies, and interpretations should be measured.
Which branch of government interprets the Constitution?
Each of the three coordinate branches of government created and empowered by the Constitution--the executive and legislative no less than the judicial--has a duty to interpret the Constitution in the performance of its official functions. In fact, every official takes a solemn oath precisely to that effect.
What is the Constitution?
Constitution, the body of doctrines and practices that form the fundamental organizing principle of a political state. In some cases, such as the United States, the constitution is a specific written document.
What is a written constitution?
States that have a written constitution may also have a body of traditional or customary practices that may or may not be considered to be of constitutional standing.
What did Aristotle think of the mixed constitution?
Aristotle regarded the mixed constitution as the best arrangement of offices in the polis. Such a politeia would contain monarchic, aristocratic, and democratic elements. Its citizens, after learning to obey, were to be given opportunities to participate in ruling. This was a privilege only of citizens, however, since neither noncitizens nor slaves would have been admitted by Aristotle or his contemporaries in the Greek city-states. Aristotle regarded some humans as natural slaves, a point on which later Roman philosophers, especially the Stoics and jurists, disagreed with him. Although slavery was at least as widespread in Rome as in Greece, Roman law generally recognized a basic equality among all humans. This was because, the Stoics argued, all humans are endowed by nature with a spark of reason by means of which they can perceive a universal natural law that governs all the world and can bring their behaviour into harmony with it.
What was Aristotle's classification of the forms of government?
Aristotle’s classification of the “forms of government” was intended as a classification of constitutions, both good and bad. Under good constitutions— monarchy, aristocracy, and the mixed kind to which Aristotle applied the same term politeia —one person, a few individuals, or the many rule in the interest of the whole polis. Under the bad constitutions—tyranny, oligarchy, and democracy—the tyrant, the rich oligarchs, or the poor dēmos, or people, rule in their own interest alone.
Where did the idea of constitution come from?
The general idea of a constitution and of constitutionalism originated with the ancient Greeks and especially in the systematic, theoretical, normative, and descriptive writings of Aristotle. In his Politics, Nicomachean Ethics, Constitution of Athens, and other works, Aristotle used the Greek word for constitution ( politeia) in several different senses. The simplest and most neutral of these was “the arrangement of the offices in a polis ” (state). In this purely descriptive sense of the word, every state has a constitution, no matter how badly or erratically governed it may be.
Why were medieval constitutions considered legitimate?
Medieval constitutions, whether of church or state, were considered legitimate because they were believed to be ordained of God or tradition or both. Confirmation by officers of the Christian Church was regarded as a prerequisite of the legitimacy of secular rulers.
What did Aristotle think of Roman law?
Roman law thus added to Aristotelian notions of constitutionalism the concepts of a generalized equality, a universal regularity, and a hierarchy of types of laws. Aristotle had already drawn a distinction between the constitution ( politeia ), the laws ( nomoi ), and something more ephemeral that corresponds to what could be described as day-to-day policies ( psēphismata ). The latter might be based upon the votes cast by the citizens in their assembly and might be subject to frequent changes, but nomoi, or laws, were meant to last longer. The Romans conceived of the all-encompassing rational law of nature as the eternal framework to which constitutions, laws, and policies should conform—the constitution of the universe.
What are the contents of the Constitution?
Contents. The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. Articles of Confederation. Forming a More Perfect Union. Debating the Constitution. Ratifying the Constitution. The Bill of Rights. The Constitution Today. The Constitution of the United States established America’s national government and fundamental laws, and guaranteed certain basic rights ...
When was the first constitution ratified?
America’s first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, was ratified in 1781, a time when the nation was a loose confederation of states, each operating like independent countries. The national government was comprised of a single legislature, the Congress of the Confederation; there was no president or judicial branch.
How many amendments are there to the Bill of Rights?
The Bill of Rights were 10 amendments guaranteeing basic individual protections, such as freedom of speech and religion, that became part of the Constitution in 1791. To date, there are 27 constitutional amendments.
What was the first document to establish a federal government?
Under America’s first governing document, the Articles of Confederation, the national government was weak and states operated like independent countries. At the 1787 convention, delegates devised a plan for a stronger federal government with three branches—executive, legislative and judicial—along with a system of checks and balances to ensure no single branch would have too much power.
What is the purpose of the preamble?
The Preamble outlines the Constitution's purpose and guiding principles. It reads: "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, ...
How many words were in the Constitution?
By September 1787, the convention’s five-member Committee of Style (Hamilton, Madison, William Samuel Johnson of Connecticut, Gouverneur Morris of New York, Rufus King of Massachusetts) had drafted the final text of the Constitution, which consisted of some 4,200 words.
Which states ratified the Constitution?
Beginning on December 7, 1787, five states– Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia and Connecticut– ratified the Constitution in quick succession. However, other states, especially Massachusetts, opposed the document, as it failed to reserve un-delegated powers to the states and lacked constitutional protection of basic political rights, such as freedom of speech, religion and the press.
How does the amendment process work?
When two-thirds of the Senate and two-thirds of the House of Representatives vote to change the Constitution, an amendment goes to the state legislatures for a vote. Alternatively, two-thirds of the state legislatures can submit an application to Congress, and then Congress calls a national convention at which states propose amendments. Three-fourths of the state legislatures or state conventions must vote in favor of an amendment to ratify it.
Which branch of government is responsible for making laws?
Article I assigns the responsibility for making laws to the Legislative Branch (Congress). Congress is divided into two parts, or “Houses,” the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bicameral Congress was a compromise between the large states, which wanted representation based on population, and the small ones, which wanted the states to have equal representation.
What is the purpose of Article VII?
Article VII. Article VII describes the ratification process for the Constitution. It called for special state ratifying conventions. Nine states were required to enact the Constitution. Rhode Island became the 13th state to ratify the Constitution in 1790.
What is Article IV?
Article IV outlines states’ powers in relationship to each other. States have the authority to create and enforce their own laws but must respect and help enforce the laws of other states. Congress may pass Federal laws regarding how states honor other states’ laws and records.
What does "constitution" mean?
noun. the system of fundamental principles according to which a nation, state, corporation, or the like, is governed. the document embodying these principles. (initial capital letter) Constitution of the United States. the way in which a thing is composed or made up; makeup; composition: the chemical constitution of the cleanser.
What is the constitution of a country?
constitution. A nation or state's fundamental set of laws. Most nations with constitutions have them in written form, such as the United States Constitution. The constitution of Britain, by contrast, is an informal set of traditions, based on several different laws.
What is the physical makeup of the body?
The physical makeup of the body, including its functions, metabolic processes, reactions to stimuli, and resistance to the attack of pathogenic organisms. The composition or structure of a molecule. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
What is the act of constituting?
the act of constituting or state of being constituted. the way in which a thing is composed; physical make-up; structure. the fundamental political principles on which a state is governed, esp when considered as embodying the rights of the subjects of that state.
What does archaic mean?
Archaic. character or condition of mind; disposition; temperament.
What is the definition of medicine?
Medicine/Medical, Psychology. the aggregate of a person's physical and psychological characteristics.
When was the Constitution drafted?
The fundamental law of the United States, drafted in Philadelphia in 1787 ( see Constitutional Convention ), ratified in 1788, and put into effect in 1789. It established a strong central government in place of the Articles of Confederation. ( See Preamble to the Constitution .)
What is a Constitutional Convention?
A constitutional convention refers to the meeting up of individuals who are interested in either creating a new constitution or making edits to the one currently in existence. For example, the Constitutional Convention that gathered in the U.S. in 1787 created the Constitution that courts still refer to today when making decisions in civil and criminal cases. Not all constitutional conventions are the Constitutional Convention, however those that gathered in the U.S. met for the sole purpose of discussing and developing the Constitution.
Where was the Constitution signed?
The signing of the Constitution took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 17, 1787. Present at the signing of the Constitution were 39 delegates representing 12 states. The signing of the Constitution came after the convention had spent the previous four months tightening it up.
What is the Philadelphia Convention?
The term “constitutional convention,” also known as the “Philadelphia Convention,” refers to the gathering of a group of purpose for the purpose of either drafting a new constitution or editing an existing one. For example, a constitutional convention gathered in May and September of 1787 to discuss the creation ...
Why are the necessary and proper clauses necessary?
The Necessary and Proper Clause, or “ elastic clause ,” provides Congress with the authority to make laws, so long as those laws serve the purpose of helping the other branches of government carry out their powers as well.
When did the Constitutional Convention come together?
However, the government did not have the power to levy taxes or control the economy. As such, the Constitutional Convention came together in 1787 to throw away the Articles of Confederation.
What was the purpose of the Articles of Confederation?
The Articles of Confederation was the U.S.’ first version of the Constitution. Under the Articles of Confederation, the states functioned independently, and Congress’ role was solely as a last resort if the states could not resolve disputes on their own.
When did the Constitutional Debate start?
Constitutional debate emerged in 1787, when the constitutional convention came together to ratify the Articles of Confederation. Specifically, the constitutional debate centered on slavery and the executive branch of government, which was new at the time. The constitutional debate continued for four months before the delegates finally reached ...
How many amendments have been made to the Constitution?
Since the Constitution was ratified in 1789, hundreds of thousands of bills have been introduced attempting to amend it. But only 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution have been ratified, out of 33 passed by Congress and sent to the states. Under Article V, states also have the option of petitioning Congress to call a constitutional convention ...
Which amendments are the most important?
Of these first 10 amendments, the First Amendment is arguably the most famous and most important. It states that Congress can pass no law that encroaches on an American freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom to assemble and freedom to petition the government.
How long did it take for the 20th amendment to be ratified?
Before ratification of the 20th Amendment, 13 months had passed between the election of a new Congress and the time it held its first meeting. The amendment shortened this “lame-duck” period by specifying that regular terms for members of the Senate and House of Representatives begin on January 3 of the year following their election. It also moved up the inauguration of the president by six weeks, moving it to January 20. The 20th Amendment was quickly proposed, passed and ratified during the Great Depression, when many people regretted that Franklin D. Roosevelt had to wait four months to succeed the unpopular Herbert Hoover.
How many votes do you need to pass an amendment?
According to Article V of the Constitution, an amendment must either be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of state legislatures. Either way, a proposed amendment only becomes part of the Constitution when ratified by ...
What is the 8th amendment? What is its purpose?
The Eighth Amendment continues the theme of the Fifth and Sixth Amendments by targeting potential abuses on the part of the criminal justice system. In banning the requirement of “excessive bail,” the imposition of “excessive fines,” and the infliction of “cruel and unusual punishment,” but leaving the exact interpretation of these terms unclear, it paved the way for future generations to battle over their meaning. In particular, differing opinions over what constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment” fuel the ongoing debate in the United States over capital punishment.
Why did James Madison draft the Bill of Rights?
First Amendment (ratified 1791) In order to secure support for the Constitution among Anti- Federalists, who feared it gave too much power to the national government at the expense of individual states , James Madison agreed to draft a Bill of Rights during the first session of Congress.
When was the 13th amendment ratified?
13th Amendment (ratified 1865 ) More than six decades passed between ratification of the 12th and 13th Amendments. With the United States roiled by sectional tensions over slavery, few in the post-founding generations wanted to provoke a constitutional crisis by proposing a potentially divisive amendment.
The Preamble to The U.S. Constitution
Articles of Confederation
Forming A More Perfect Union
Debating The Constitution
Ratifying The Constitution
The Bill of Rights
The Constitution Today
- In the more than 200 years since the Constitution was created, America has stretched across an entire continent and its population and economy have expanded more than the document’s framers likely ever could have envisioned. Through all the changes, the Constitution has endured and adapted. The framers knew it wasn’t a perfect document. However, as...