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Constitution of the United States

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The first page of the United States Constitution, a foundational document of American law and government.

The U.S. Constitution

The Constitution of the United States is the most important rule book for the country. It explains how the U.S. government works. It started in 1789, replacing older rules called the Articles of Confederation.

Important leaders called the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution in Philadelphia at a meeting called the Constitutional Convention. They wrote it between May and September in 1787 at Independence Hall. The Constitution splits the government into three parts: the legislative part that makes laws, the executive part led by the president, and the judiciary part that handles court cases.

Since 1789, the Constitution has been changed 27 times through additions called amendments. The first ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights. They protect important freedoms. The Constitution of the United States is the oldest and longest-used written constitution in the world. It has inspired many other countries.

The Constitution has four main parts: an introduction called the Preamble, seven Articles that explain how the government works, a closing part with signatures, and 27 amendments. The Preamble starts with the words, "We the People," showing that the government gets its power from the people.

The Constitution is very important to the United States. It helps make sure that the government works fairly and that people’s rights are protected. Many people look up to it as a symbol of the country’s history and values.

Images

Historical painting showing George Washington presiding over the signing of the U.S. Constitution at the Philadelphia Convention.
Portrait of John Marshall, a famous American judge, painted in 1832 by Henry Inman.
Historical painting showing the drafting committee presenting the Declaration of Independence to Congress.
A map showing when each of the 13 original U.S. states ratified the Constitution between 1787 and 1790.
Portrait of the philosopher John Locke, painted by Herman Verelst.
A detailed view of the words 'We the People' from the Preamble of the United States Constitution.
Signatures of the delegates who helped create the United States Constitution.
Historical document showing the United States Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Historical documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, displayed in the Library of Congress before being moved to the National Archives.
The Rotunda of the National Archives in Washington, D.C., displaying the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the U.S. Constitution.
Portrait of John Jay painted by Gilbert Stuart in 1794.
Portrait of Salmon P. Chase, who served as U.S. Treasury Secretary and later as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Portrait of William Howard Taft, the 27th President of the United States.
Portrait of Earl Warren, former Chief Justice of the United States.

Related articles

Washington, D.C.
Philadelphia
Independence Hall
United States Congress
Constitution

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Constitution of the United States, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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