The text of the original signed copy of the constitution filed in the office of the secretary of state is retained unless it has been repealed or superseded by amendment or revision. The original, forgotten preamble to the constitution. Under america s first national government, the articles of confederation, the states acted together only for specific purposes. All through the summer the delegates privately debated and eventually agreed to discard the constitution of 1777. The constitution is here published as it is in effect following the approval of amendments and revisions on november 6, 2018. The positioning of congress at the beginning of the. The constitution of the united states preamble we the people of the united states, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do. Home learn educational resources historical documents the constitution of the united states. Oct 04, 2016 the original purpose of the us constitution learn liberty.
The following text is a transcription of the constitution as it was inscribed by jacob shallus on parchment the document on display in the rotunda at the national archives museum. Constitution of the united states of america17871 we the people of the united states, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and estab. The constitution of 1787 was completed and submitted to the united states in congress assembled usca on september 17th, 1787. Among other provisions, this act called for a constitutional convention to draft a constitution that would be the foundation for state government. The constitution united its citizens as members of a whole, vesting the power of the union in the. We the people of the united states, in order to form a more perfect. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship. As amended through calendar year 2019 table of contents preamble article i. Professor randy barnett reminds us of the original purpose that the government was founded, to protect our individual rights to life. Article 7 details the method for ratification, or acceptance, of the constitution.
Constitution of the united states of america bill of. The constitution full text the national constitution center. That all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent and inalienable rights, amongst which are, the enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety. I, which creates a congress consisting of a senate and a house of. Louisiana constitution of 1974 louisiana state senate november 18, 2019 compiled from the louisiana senate statutory database. Mar 16, 2020 the constitution acted like a colossal merger, uniting a group of states with different interests, laws, and cultures. The threefifths clause of the united states constitution 1787.
Highresolution pdfs of constitution of the united states. United states of americas constitution of 1789 with amendments through 1992. Resources guide explore the links in the text of the constitution below to discover a variety of relevant, classroom ready, lessons and activities from the bill of rights institute. Its first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, whereby the federal government is divided into three branches.
Killian of the library of congress in 1994, provided the original text of each clause of the constitution with an accompanying explanation of its meaning and how that meaning changed. The constitution, originally comprising seven articles, delineates the national frame of government. The house of representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several. How to read and understand it why a grammar analysis is required an analysis based upon grammar is needed since so many people seem to have problems reading and understanding the basic english grammar of amendment 2 and the us constitution in general. Constitution of the united states of america bill of rights. The threefifths clause of the united states constitution.
It sets up a federal system by dividing powers between the national and state. This constitution, and the laws of the united states which shall be made in pursuance thereof. The constitution of the state of ohio 5 preamble we, the people of the state of ohio, grateful to almighty god for our freedom, to secure its blessings and promote our common welfare, do establish this constitution. Declaration of independence and constitution of the united. California state archives 1020 o street sacramento ca 95814 constitution of the state of california. Constitution for the united states of america 1 we the people of the united states, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution. Page one of the original copy of the united states constitution the united states constitution has served as the supreme law of the united states since taking effect in 1789. The constitution of the united states preamble we the people of the united states, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the. Constitution itself outlines the basic structure of the federal. The constitution of 1787 was completed and submitted to the united states in congress assembled usca on september. Under americas first national government, the articles of confederation, the states acted together only for specific purposes. Printable constitution of pennsylvania 1776 transcription.
The constitution of the united states national archives. Constitution of the state of wisconsin, adopted in. Amendment x the powers not delegated to the united states by the constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states. The constitution of the united states is the supreme law of the united states of america.
Minnesotas constitution minnesota historical society. The enumeration in the constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. The preamble is the most famous section of the constitution. Often misinterpreted to mean that african americans as individuals are considered threefifths of a person or that they are threefifths of a citizen of the u. View the original arizona state constitution with signatures in arizona memory project. The constitution of the united states of america, s. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and. Foreigners of the white race or of african descent, eligible to become citizens of the united states under the naturalization laws thereof, while bona fide residents of this state, shall have the same rights in respect to the acquisition. This site offers free, printable versions of the founding documents of our republic, including the u. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a congress of the united states, which shall consist of a senate and house of representatives.
Constitution of the united states is the supreme law of the land. Add and subtract, then decode the riddle solve the addition and subtraction problems, then use the alphabet code to answer the us constitution riddle, where was the us constitution signed. Constitution, bill of rights, declaration of independence, and other rights laid out by americas founders. Article 1, section 2 of the united states constitution. United states of americas constitution of 1789 with. The constitution full text the national constitution. History of the united states constitution wikipedia. The preamble outlines the constitutions purpose and guiding principles. The original purpose of the us constitution learn liberty. We the people of the united states, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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 constitution acted like a colossal merger, uniting a group of states with different interests, laws, and cultures.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies, without the consent of our legislatures. Our engaging, dynamic exhibits and programs are aligned with state and national standards so you can connect your field trip with your classroom curriculum. He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislatures. He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to the civil power. Today, the united states constitution is the oldest, written constitution that has continuously remained in effect in the world.
The constitution of the united states of america us department of. A highly accessible, easy to use online version full text including the bill of rights and the rest of the amendments includes both sequential and subject indexes. Constitution of the state of wisconsin, adopted in convention, at madison, on the first day of february, in the year our lord one thousand eight hundred and fortyeight. Provided that no person shall be so registered unless he has been resident in the territory of india for at least six months immediately preceding the date of his application. Arizona constitution download pdf united states constitution purchase a pocket u. Includes images of original primary source documents, lesson plans, teacher and student competitions, and educational resources. These images are in the public domain and no permission is required to use them. Highresolution pdfs of constitution of the united states 1787. Article i article ii article iii article iv article v article vi article vii. The pdf version can be printed using any pdf viewer. Constitution of 1787 in fact declared that for purposes of representation in congress, enslaved blacks in a state would be.
Us constitution vocabulary word list a list of words related to the us constitution. The entire philosophy of the united states and us constitution summed up in 93 seconds. A history of the constitution us supreme court center. We the people of the united states, in order to form a. Articles in addition to, and amendment of the constitution of the united states of america, proposed by congress, and ratified by the legislatures of the several states, pursuant to the fifth article of the original constitution. We the people of the united states, in order to form a more perfect union. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws. Constitution of the united states of america1787 page ii 4this clause has been affected by clause 2 of amendment xviii. Printable constitution of pennsylvania 1776 transcription i. The constitution of the state of florida as revised in 1968 consisted of certain revised articles as proposed by three jointresolutions which were adopted during thespecial session of june 24july 3, 1968, and ratified by the electorate on november 5, 1968, together with one article carried forward from the constitution of 1885, as amended.
The constitution of the united states the signing of the constitution took place on september 17, 1787, at the pennsylvania state house now called independence hall in philadelphia. Without it, the american experiment might have ended as quickly as it had begun. For more than 200 years, the constitution of the united states has been a working document, maintaining the original principles upon which our nation was founded while, at the same time, changing with the country, as reflected in its amendments. United states of americas constitution of 1789 with amendments. The house of representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states, and the electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature. The following text is a transcription of the first ten amendments to the constitution in their original form. Carry copies of the entire constitution as a handy foldable booklet, or refer to one article or amendment at a time. Constitution of 1787 in fact declared that for purposes of representation in congress, enslaved blacks in a state would be counted as threefifths of the. He has affected to render the military independent of, and superior to, the civil power. Citizenship at the commencement of the constitution. California constitution of 1879, prior to any amendments sec. The constitution united its citizens as members of a whole, vesting the power of the union in the people. Oct 03, 2014 often misinterpreted to mean that african americans as individuals are considered threefifths of a person or that they are threefifths of a citizen of the u. Constitution of the state of wisconsin, adopted in convention.
Rick green is a constitutional expert and one of the nations top speakers on the constitution and, yes, has a passion for helping others avoid dry redundant lectures at all cost. Great for history and social studies projects, this printable united states constitution has the full text on a plain background. Please credit the national archives as the original source. It also established the first federal form of government, as well as the first system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch of government from acquiring too much power. The signing of the constitution took place on september 17, 1787, at the pennsylvania state house now called independence hall in philadelphia. No person shall be a senator who shall not have attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the united states, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state for which he shall be chosen. Constitution of the state of california 1849 we, the people of california, grateful to almighty god for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings, do establish this constitution. Constitution of the united states of america1787 page x several states by the sixtyfifth congress, on the 18th of december, 1917, and was declared, in a proclamation of the secretary of state, dated the 29th of january, 1919, to have been ratified by the legislatures of 36 of the 48 states. Featuring 100 milestone documents of american history from the national archives.