10 facts about the United States Constitution, this constitution is believed to be one of the greatest accomplishments of the United States, read more to find out why.
In 1787, our Founding Fathers drafted the United States Constitution, a four-page document that established the nation’s governance, laws, and fundamental human rights for people. It was not approved by the needed minimum of nine states until 1788. Since it was drafted over 228 years ago, this document has been regarded as one of the greatest accomplishments of the United States, and it is one that we still follow today.
Here are some unknown facts regarding the United States Constitution:
It is not the number that is important, but the quality – The United States Constitution is the oldest and shortest written constitution of any significant nation in the world. It is barely 4,400 words long.
The United States Constitution was crafted and signed during the Philadelphia Convention.
The last-minute modification — The most famous opener, “We the people of the United States,” was selected at the last minute. It used to say “We the people of the states of” in previous editions. (the individual states were listed from the north to the south).
Missing Founding Fathers — Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, two of our Founding Fathers, were unable to attend the Constitutional Convention and did not sign the real document.
The “First American” breaks down in tears — At the age of 81, Benjamin Franklin, regarded as the “first American,” was the oldest American to sign the Constitution. He was alleged to have required assistance signing, and tears streamed down his cheeks as he did so.
Is there no democracy? — The term “democracy” appears nowhere in the Constitution. Not a single time. This is due to the fact that the United States is a republic.
Please check your spelling — There are several spelling errors in the Constitution. The most famous is “Pennsylvania.” Did you know it is misspelled on the Liberty Bell as well?
Evolving through time — The Constitution has only been modified 17 times since 1791, with 27 amendments.
Not in the original document — Many people are familiar with the Bill of Rights but are unaware that it was not included in the original constitution. They are the first ten amendments proposed by James Madison in a series of legislative writings.
The original Constitution is housed in a display case at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. To preserve the parchment sheets, the containers contain argon gas and are maintained at 67 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 40 percent.
These are just a handful of the fascinating facts regarding the United States Constitution. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did.
