Constitution of the United States

Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States. It was adopted on September 17, 1787, by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and later ratified by conventions in each U.S. state in the name of "The People".

Background

The Constitution has a central place in United States law and political culture. The handwritten original document penned by Jacob Shallus is on display at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.

Structure

The Constitution is composed of a preamble and seven articles. It details the structure of the national government and specifies its powers and duties. Among the articles, the first three describe the rules and separation of powers among the three branches of the federal government: the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary.

Amendments

The Constitution has been amended twenty-seven times; the first ten amendments, which make up the Bill of Rights, and the Fourteenth Amendment form the central basis of Americans' individual rights.

Interpretation

The United States Constitution is interpreted, supplemented, and implemented by a large body of Constitutional law. The Constitution of the United States is the first constitution of its kind, adopted by the people's representatives for an expansive nation, and it has influenced the constitutions of other nations.

See also

• History of the United States Constitution
• United States Bill of Rights
• Federalism in the United States