he basic document by which the United States is governed,
the Constitution was drafted at the Constitutional Convention
in Philadelphia in 1787 and ratified the following year.
The Constitution divides governmental powers between the
national and state governments in a system known as federalism.
It also divides the national government into three independent
branches-executive, legislative, and judicial-which can
serve as checks and balances upon one another.
In addition to listing the powers of the national government
-- which include the power to collect taxes, regulate
trade, and declare war --the Constitution enumerates the
powers forbidden to the states and to Congress; and the
procedures for electing and appointing government officials
as well as procedures for amending the document. The Bill
of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution,
was ratified in 1791. These amendments, which were originally
intended to protect individual liberties from the power
of the central government, guarantee freedom of speech,
the press, religion, petition, and assembly; and specify
the rights of the accused in criminal and civil cases.
Background
Only about 7,000 words long, the U.S. Constitution is
one of the shortest constitutions in the world. It is
also the oldest written constitution still in effect.
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Learn more about the history and meaning of the Constitution
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