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The Constitution of the United States

United States

The Constitution of the United States, drafted at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787 and ratified in 1788, is the supreme law of the United States and the oldest written national constitution still in force. Its seven articles establish a federal republic with separated and balanced legislative, executive, and judicial powers, drawing on Montesquieu, Locke, and the failures of the Articles of Confederation. The first ten amendments—the Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791—guarantee fundamental liberties including freedom of religion, speech, and the press, and protections for the accused.

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Contents

  1. Preamble
  2. Article I
  3. Article II
  4. Article III
  5. Article IV
  6. Article V
  7. Article VI
  8. Article VII
  9. Amendment I
  10. Amendment II
  11. Amendment III
  12. Amendment IV
  13. Amendment V
  14. Amendment VI
  15. Amendment VII
  16. Amendment VIII
  17. Amendment IX
  18. Amendment X