United States Constitution

Ratified in 1788 and in force since 1789, the oldest written national constitution still in operation.

Overview

Drafted in Philadelphia in 1787, ratified by the states in 1788, and operating since 1789, the US Constitution establishes a federal republic with separation of powers among Congress, the presidency, and the judiciary. Its Bill of Rights, added in 1791, protects speech, religion, press, assembly, and due process. Twenty seven amendments have been ratified, a deliberately difficult process requiring two thirds of both houses plus three quarters of the states. Its influence on later constitutions is enormous, popularizing written constitutions, judicial review after Marbury v. Madison in 1803, and codified rights. Breveity is a hallmark, roughly 4,400 words in the original text.