The Constitution of the United States was signed on September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It was written to replace the Articles of Confederation, which were the first set of national laws for the United States. The Constitution was written by delegates to the Constitutional Convention, which was held from May to September of 1787.
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention were chosen by the state legislatures. They were all white men over the age of 21 who owned property. The delegates represented a cross-section of American society. Some of the delegates were farmers, while others were lawyers or businessmen.
The Constitution was written in response to the problems that the United States had experienced under the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation had created a weak central government that was unable to effectively govern the country. The Constitution was designed to create a strong central government that would be able to effectively govern the country.
The Constitution created a federal system of government. Under the federal system, the central government is divided into three branches: the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch. The legislative branch is responsible for making laws, the executive branch is responsible for enforcing laws, and the judicial branch is responsible for interpreting laws.
The Constitution also created a system of checks and balances. Under the system of checks and balances, each branch of government is able to check the power of the other branches. For example, the legislative branch can pass laws that the executive branch must enforce. The executive branch can veto laws that the legislative branch passes. And the judicial branch can declare laws that the other branches have passed to be unconstitutional.
The Constitution also contains a number of provisions that protect the rights of individuals. These provisions are known as the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights contains a list of 10 amendments that guarantee individual rights, such as the right to freedom of speech and the right to bear arms.
The Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was first written. The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. The most recent amendment, the 27th Amendment, was ratified in 1992.