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Constitution of the United States

Created

September 17, 1787

Presented

September 28, 1787

Date effective

March 4, 1789

Branches

3

Chambers

Bicameral

Executive

President

Entrenchments

2, 1 still active

First executive

April 30, 1789

First court

February 2, 1790

Last amended

May 5, 1992

Signatories

39 of the 55 delegates

Media type

Parchment

The United States Constitution is the highest law of the United States of America. It was signed on September 17, 1787 by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Later, it was put into effect, or ratified, by representatives of the people of the first 13 states. When nine of the states ratified the document, they created a union of sovereign states, and a federal government for that union. That government started on March 4, 1789, which took the place of the Articles of Confederation.

The Constitution of the United States is the oldest federal constitution now in use.

Since 1787, changes have been made to the United States Constitution 27 times by amendments (changes). The first ten of these amendments are together called the Bill of Rights.

Articles of the Constitution

When it was signed in 1787, the Constitution had a preamble and seven main parts, called articles.

The Preamble states:

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, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The Preamble is not a law. It gives the reasons for writing the Constitution. The Preamble is one of the best-known parts of the Constitution. The first three words, "We the people," are used very often. The six intentions that are listed are the goals of the Constitution.

Legislative power

Article One says that the United States Congress (the legislative branch) will make the laws for the United States. Congress has two parts, called "Houses": the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. This Article says who can be elected to each part of Congress, and how they are elected.

The House of Representatives has members elected by the people in each state. The number of members from each state depends on how many people live there. Each member of the House of Representatives is elected for two years.

The Senate has two members, called Senators, from each state, no matter how many people live there. Each Senator is elected for six years. The original Constitution allowed the state legislatures to choose the Senators, but this was changed later by the Seventeenth Amendment.

Article One also says how the Congress will do its business and what kinds of laws it can make. It lists some kinds of laws the Congress and the states cannot make.

Article One also makes rules for Congress to impeach and remove from office the President, Vice President, judges, and other government officers.

Executive power

Article Two says that the President, Vice President, and executive offices (the executive branch) will carry out the laws made by Congress. This article says how the President and Vice President are elected, and who can be elected to these offices. The President and Vice President are elected for four years by a special Electoral College chosen by the states. The Vice President takes over as President if the President dies, resigns, or is unable to serve.

Article Two also says that the President is the Commander-in-Chief in charge of the United States military. He can make treaties with other countries, but these must be approved by two-thirds of the Senate. He appoints judges, ambassadors, and other officers, but the Senate also must approve these appointments. The President can also veto bills. However, Congress can override the veto and make the bill into a law anyway.

Judicial power

Article Three says there will be a court system (the judicial branch), which includes the Supreme Court. The Article says that Congress can decide which federal courts, besides the Supreme Court, are needed.

Article Three says what kinds of "cases and controversies" these courts can decide. It also requires trial by jury in all criminal cases, and defines the crime of treason.

States' powers and limits

Article Four is about the states. It says that all states must give "full faith and credit" to the laws of the other states. It also says that state governments must treat citizens of other states as fairly as they treat their own citizens, and must send arrested people back if they have been charged with a crime in another state and fled.

Article Four also says that Congress can make new states. There were only 13 states in 1787. Now there are 50 United States. It says Congress can make rules for Federal property and can govern territories that have not yet been made into states. Article Four says the United States must make sure that each state has a republican form of government, and protect the states from invasion and violence.

Process of amendment

Article Five gives two ways to amend, or change, the Constitution.

1. Congress can write a change, if two-thirds of the members in each House agree.

2. The state governments can call a convention to write changes, although this has not happened since 1787.

Any change that is written by Congress or by a convention must be sent to the state legislatures or to state conventions for their approval. Congress decides whether to send a change to the legislatures or to conventions. Three-fourths of the states must approve a change for it to become part of the Constitution.

An amendment can change any part of the Constitution, except one-no amendment can change the rule that each state has an equal number of Senators in the United States Senate.

Federal power

Article Six says that the Constitution, and the laws and treaties of the United States, are higher than any other laws. It also says that all federal and state officers must swear to "support" the Constitution.

Ratification

Article Seven says that the new government under the Constitution would not start until conventions in at least nine states approved the Constitution.

Amendments

Since 1787, Congress has written 33 amendments to change the Constitution, but the states have ratified only 27 of them.

The first ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights. They were argued over during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, but it wasn't until 1791 that they were ratified by two-thirds of the states. These ten additions or changes all limited the power of the federal government. They are:

1791

Congress must protect the rights of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of petition. Congress cannot create a national religion.

1791

"A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." - People have the right to keep and carry weapons, such as guns.

1791

The government cannot get a warrant to arrest a person or search their property unless there is "probable cause" to believe a crime has been committed.

1791

The government cannot put a person on trial for a serious crime until a grand jury has written an indictment. If a person is found not guilty in a trial, they cannot be put on trial again for the same crime. The government must follow due process of law before punishing a person or taking their property. A person on trial for a crime does not have to testify against himself in court.

1791

Any person who is accused of a crime should get a speedy trial by a jury. That person can have a lawyer during the trial. They must be told what they are charged with. The person can question the witnesses against them, and can get their own witnesses to testify.

After the Bill of Rights, there are 17 more changes to the Constitution that were made at different times.

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Constitution of the United States Facts for Kids

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Constitution of the United States Created September 17, 1787 Presented September 28, 1787 Date effective March 4, 1789 Branches 3 Chambers Bicameral Executive President Entrenchments 2, 1 still active First executive April 30, 1789 First court February 2, 1790 Last amended May 5, 1992 Signatories 39 of the 55 delegates Media type Parchment The United States Constitution is the highest law of the United States of America.

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United States Declaration of Independence Facts for Kids

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Learn United States Declaration of Independence facts for kids

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Educational Videos for Students (Cartoons on Bullying, Leadership & More)

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The Constitution for Kids History for Kids Cartoons & Educational Videos for Students Network CN

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This file is intended for students in grades 4 through 7. Other versions of this page are available:

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The Basics
The Constitution is the highest law in the United States. All other laws come from the Constitution. It says how the government works. It creates the Presidency. It creates the Congress. It creates the Supreme Court. Each state also has a constitution. The constitutions of the states are their highest law for that state - but the United States Constitution is higher.

The Constitution can be changed. The Constitution is changed by an "amendment." Among the amendments is a list of the rights of the people. By listing these rights, they are made special. It is illegal for the government to violate those rights. As of 2006, there are 27 amendments. Not all of them involve rights, but many do. The first ten amendments are special. They are called the Bill of Rights.
History
The Constitution was written in 1787. Yes, it is over 200 years old. We actually have old copies of what was created. The master copies are stored at the National Archives in Washington D.C. We also have pictures of the Constitution on this site.

From May to September 1787 a group of men known as the Framers met. The Framers talked about what should be in the Constitution. The United States was a brand new country. The United States had a government that did not work very well. The Framers met to find a new way of running the country. This meeting is called The Convention. Some of the Framers are famous to us today. They include James Madison, Ben Franklin, and George Washington.

At that time there were only 13 states. The men came from all the states except Rhode Island. Each state had ideas for the new government. The Framers had many debates. They talked a lot. They make a lot of speeches. By talking about it, they came up with a plan that everyone could agree with. They had to have a lot of compromises. Only by agreeing could all the arguments be worked out. Ben Franklin said the he was not sure if the plan was perfect. He said that it was probably as perfect as it could be.

After the Convention, the Constitution had to be approved. Actually, only nine states had to agree to, or ratify, the Constitution. But everyone wanted all 13 states to agree. Two states took a long time to decide to agree. These states were Rhode Island and North Carolina. In the end, they did agree. Once the first nine states agreed, we say the Constitution was "ratified." New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify.
Amendments
When the Constitution was written, the Framers knew their creation was not perfect. They knew that other people would have good ideas for the Constitution. They wanted to be sure that it wasn't too hard to make changes. They also wanted to be sure that it wasn't too easy.

The Framers added an amendment process. An amendment to the Constitution is a change that can add to the Constitution or change an older part of it.

Originally, some people did not want to ratify the Constitution. One big reason was that it did not have a bill of rights. A bill of rights is a list of rights that belong to the people. The government is not allowed to break these rights. Some of these rights might sound familiar: the right of free speech; the right to practice your own religion; the right to be silent if you are arrested. The original Constitution had no bill of rights. Many of the Framers did not think it was needed. But many people wanted one. So, promises were made to add one, using the amendment process.

Soon, the new government started meeting. Congress proposed the Bill of Rights. A list of twelve changes was sent to the states. In 1791, ten of those changes were agreed to by the states. The ten changes were added to the Constitution. These ten changes are called the "Bill of Rights."

Other changes to the Constitution are discussed below. The last change to the Constitution was made in 1992. The 27th Amendment is actually one of the two left-over amendments from 1791. It is very unusual for an amendment to take that long to be accepted, but it is possible. Some, like the 26th Amendment, are accepted very quickly, in just 100 days. Most, though, take a little over a year to be ratified.
Slavery
In 1787, most of the black people in America were slaves. A slave is someone who is owned by someone else. Today, there are no legal slaves in America. It was common in 1787. As time went by, more people thought that slavery was wrong. Most of the people who wanted to end slavery were from the states in the north. They were called abolitionists. Most of the people who wanted to keep slavery were from the states in the south. Slavery was important in the South. A lot of how the people in the south made money involved slaves. Slaves were worth money. Slaves picked their crops, like cotton and tobacco.

The people in the North wanted to end slavery. They said it was an important step for America. The people of the South were afraid of losing slavery. They were afraid of losing business. They thought that having slavery was important for each state choose on its own. When President Lincoln was elected, the South got very angry. Lincoln had said he didn't like slavery. Most of the Southern states decided to break away from the United States. They created their own country. It was called the Confederate States of America. The USA did not agree that the states of the CSA could break away. The Civil War followed. The USA won that war. It was a terrible war. Many people died. Many buildings were destroyed.

Something good did happen, though. Slavery ended. With the 13th Amendment, slavery was made illegal. The 14th Amendment said that every person born in the United States was a full citizen. Even former slaves were full citizens. The 15th Amendment made sure that black people could vote.

These changes protected many freedoms. But it took a long time to change peoples' minds. Many people still did not like black people. They thought that white people were better. For 100 years, some laws reflected this feeling. Today, these laws are also gone. Most people do not think that anyone is better than someone else just because of their color.
Women
At the beginning, we talked about the men who were the Framers. For a long time, most of the people who shaped the country were men. This is not because women could not help. It is not because women did not want to help. Instead, men held all the positions of power. Men were the Presidents. Men were the members of Congress. Men were the mayors. Men were the owners of companies. Women had very little chance to advance in life. Today, many women like taking care of the home. Today, though, this is a choice. Before, this was the only option for a woman.

Women had no role in government. They had no role in politics. They were homemakers. They took care of their husbands or fathers. They took care of kids. Most men did not feel that women should vote. There were actually laws that said women could not vote. Many people decided this was wrong and many women and some men fought against it. Finally, in 1920, the 19th Amendment was passed. It says that women can vote in all elections.

Today, women are active in government and politics. Being able to vote is a big part of that. Without the ability to vote, women had no voice. Without a voice, there was no reason for politicians to care what women think. They did not care about issues that are important to women. Once women could vote, some got very interested in politics. Some women ran for office. There have not yet been any women as President. However, it is only a matter of time before the first woman President is elected.
The Bill of Rights
We already talked about the Bill of Rights. It was passed because some people were afraid that the government would have too much power. They were afraid that some important things could be made illegal. They wanted to be sure to keep those things legal.

For example, you can say whatever you want about the President. You can say that you don't like his hair. You can say you don't like his voice. You can say you don't like the war in Iraq. You can say you don't like his tax ideas. It seems normal to us to be able to say these things. We can criticize the President. We can criticize a member of Congress. We can criticize a mayor. We can say what things they do that we don't like. This is only possible because of the Right of Free Speech. The Bill of Rights protects Free Speech.

Imagine if there was no right to free speech. A law could be passed that says that if you criticize the President's hair, you can spend a day in jail. Or worse, criticizing the President's taxes can get you a year in jail. These are the kinds of laws that the Framers were afraid of. The Bill of Rights protects us from such laws. We cannot be put in jail because of our opinions.

The Bill of Rights protects a lot of other freedoms. For example, you can believe in any religion you want. The government cannot force you to believe in something. You cannot be forced to house soldiers in your home. The police cannot come into your home without a good reason. The police may not take your papers without reason. The police cannot force you testify against yourself in court. In fact, the police cannot force you to tell them anything at all. This is called the "right to remain silent". And you cannot be given unusual punishments. You cannot be given twenty years in jail for speeding.
How it all works
The Constitution sets up the government. It is split into three branches. The first is the Legislative. The second is the Executive. The third is the Judiciary. Each one has its own role in how the law is made and used.

The Legislature makes the law. The legislature is called the Congress. It is split into two parts. The first is the House of Representatives. The second is the Senate.

Each Representative comes from a district in one of the states. That person's job is to represent the people in that district. The people elect the Representative. They have the right to tell him or her how they feel about issues. There are 435 Representatives. Bigger states have more Representatives. Every state has at least one.

The Senate is made up of 100 Senators. There are two Senators from each state. The people elect Senators. Senators should represent the interests of all of the people.

When the Congress wants to pass a law, both the House and the Senate must agree to the exact same law. If they cannot agree, then the law cannot pass.

The role of the Executive is mainly to make sure the law is carried out. The President heads the Executive. The Executive also includes the Vice President. The Secretaries of all the departments are also in the Executive. One department is the Department of Homeland Security. Another is the Department of Education. And one more is the Department of Defense.

Before a law becomes a law, the President must agree to it. If he does not agree, he rejects, or vetoes, the law. When he vetoes a law, he sends it back to the Congress. Congress can then try to pass the law again. The President can also refuse to sign a law - if he does, it will become a law any way. The government has lots of checks and balances. This is one example of the checks and balances. The Congress must pass laws the President will agree to. The President is accountable for his decisions regarding laws.

The last branch is the Judiciary. This includes all the federal courts, all the way up to the Supreme Court. States have their own court systems, too. The state courts are under the national courts. The role of the Judiciary is to interpret the law.

The law might say, "It is illegal to break into someone's home." If someone is caught breaking into a home, the courts will ask several questions. First, can the government make this illegal? If it cannot, the law is called "unconstitutional." Such laws are invalid. Next, the court will ask if the person is actually guilty. Usually, a jury will find someone guilty or not guilty. Sometimes just a judge decides this.

A trial by jury is a right. It means that other people from your area will decide if you broke the law. Sometimes juries, and courts, make mistakes. If someone is found guilty, they can "appeal." There is a set of special courts set up for appeals. The last court of appeal is the Supreme Court. Whatever the Supreme Court says is the end. There is no appeals court higher than the Supreme Court.

This page is a very basic introduction to the Constitution. It also talks about some of the topics that surround it. There are lots of good books in your local library, too. They will let you get a lot more detail. This site also has a lot of good pages that have more detail. See the list of links below for some of these pages.

URL: //www.usconstitution.net/constkids4.html

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The Constitution for Kids (4th-7th Grade) - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net

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An introduction to constitutional topics for upper elementary school kids.

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Kids learn about the Constitution of the United States government. The framework and supreme law of the land.

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Why We Celebrate the Fourth of July - Declaration of Independence for Kids - FreeSchool

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The Declaration of Independence is the name of a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. Instead they formed a new nation-the United States of America.
See the fact file below for more information on the Declaration of Independence or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Declaration of Independence worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In the 1600s, the British began to colonize the New World and established settlements, the first in Jamestown, Virginia. The Thirteen colonies were founded under the British crown. On October 26, 1760, George III of England ascended the throne.

In 1764, the British Parliament began to impose taxes on the colonists to compensate for the losses in the French-Indian War. The Sugar Act was implemented which raised taxes on British goods imported to the colonies, including sugar, wine, coffee, dye, and cloth.

After few months, the Stamp Act was passed which required taxes on all printed items produced and used inside the thirteen colonies. It included newspapers, playing cards, legal and commercial documents, and books.

In 1767, the Townshend Acts levied additional taxes on tea, glass, paper, lead, and painted colors. By the following year, the Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts were imposed on the thirteen colonies. As a result, the colonists felt that the laws violated their rights, same as with the first promulgation of the Stamp Act.

On March 5, 1770, a group of colonists had an encounter with British Private Thomas Preston outside the Custom House on King Street in Boston which resulted in 5 deaths among the colonists. The event became known as the Boston Massacre.

Angered by the new tax, colonists in Boston protested against the British by boarding three docked trade ships and throwing cargo of tea overboard into the ocean on December 16, 1773. This event became known as the Boston Tea Party.

In response to the growing discontent against the British rule, representatives from all the colonies except Georgia met in Philadelphia during the First Continental Congress held between September 5 to October 26, 1774.

It was followed by the Second Continental Congress on May 10, 1775 led by John Hancock.

On April 19, 1775, the American Revolutionary War officially began with the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

ABOUT THE DOCUMENT

The colonists were frustrated with King George and Great Britain. The men in the Second Continental Congress wanted to inform the King of how people were feeling, and what they wanted done.

Five men were selected to write a letter to King George. Four of the men were from the Northern Colonies. They were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman. One man was from the Southern colony of Virginia. This man was Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson was asked to write the actual "letter" because he was such a good writer.

The Declaration of Independence contained three important points the Congressional Representatives of the Thirteen Colonies wanted King George to know.

First, the documents told the King what they believed made good government. Secondly, it described which rules and taxes the representatives thought were unfair. The last statement the representatives included was to declare the colonies free and independent from Britain.

Essentially, the Declaration of Independence declared war against King George and Great Britain.

The Declaration of Independence was signed by the Congressional Representatives of the Thirteen Colonies on July 4, 1776.

Many believe that the most famous and important words in the English language are:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

After the letter was finalized on July 4, the Second Continental Congress made copies and distributed it to the people. The most famous version of the Declaration, a signed copy that is usually regarded as THE Declaration of Independence, is on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Underneath the word "citizens" there is a smudge on the Declaration of Independence. Historians have always wondered what was under the smudge. Special imaging technology has allowed us a look under the word. Jefferson made a big mistake and accidentally wrote the word "subjects" instead of "citizens".

The original Declaration of Independence was not well cared for. Congress would roll it up and carry it with them wherever they met. It suffered a lot of wear and tear. Finally, it came to rest under bullet-proof glass in a titanium case. The case has argon gas inside, which prevents it from decomposing.

The Declaration of Independence was written on parchment. Parchment is animal skin which is very thin and treated. Iron gall ink was used to write on the parchment, which is made by combining fermented oak marble galls with ferrous sulfate.

Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. The youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence was Edward Rutledge. He was 26 years old. The only person to ever recant his oath in signing the document was Richard Stockton. John Hancock was President of Congress at the time. His signature is the first and largest on the Declaration. It is rumored that he signed it large and bold because he wanted King George to be able to read it without his spectacles.

Declaration of Independence Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Declaration of Independence across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Declaration of Independence worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Declaration of Independence which is the name of a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. Instead they formed a new nation-the United States of America.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

Declaration of Independence Facts

Five Writers

Mapping the Colonies

Women of Revolution

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Practicing My Rights

Land of the Brave

Picture Analysis

Events Vault

Independence in Letters

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Declaration of Independence Facts & Worksheets | School Study Resource

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The Declaration of Independence is the usual name of a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and no longer a part of the British Empire.

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Kids learn about The Continental Congress meetings; major events in the American Revolutionary War.

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Kids learn about the Declaration of Independence major event in the American Revolutionary War.