Primary Source Political Science

United States
Constitution
Author Year Published Original Language
Constitutional Convention 1788 English

OVERVIEW

The Law The United States Constitution established the systems and laws that still run
the modern-day United States. The framers created a foundation for a strong
of the Land government with safeguards in place to check the power of the central and
state governments and a process for amending laws as the times change.

Article One

The legislative branch, Congress,

has such powers as taxation,
declaring war, and regulating Article Two
commerce and the military. The president appoints judges
and is head of the executive
branch, which implements laws
passed by Congress.

Article Three

The Supreme Court has

original jurisdiction over
cases involving the federal
government or a state.

Bill of Rights

Amendments one through ten

include freedom of speech and
religion, the right to bear arms,
and rights of citizens accused
of a crime.

Additional Amendments

Other amendments include abolition

of slavery and guarantees of civil
and voting rights for citizens.

Key Framers

George Washington
(1732–99)
Alexander Hamilton
(1757–1804) Commander in chief during
the Revolutionary War; first
Gouverneur Morris Campaigned for ratification president of the United States
(1752–1816) of the Constitution; first
secretary of the Treasury
Statesman and diplomat;
shaped the language of
the Constitution

James Madison
(1751–1836)
Benjamin Franklin
(1706–90) Father of the Constitution; fourth
president of the United States
Helped draft the Declaration of
Independence; oldest delegate
at the Constitutional Convention

United States
Constitution Context
by the Numbers

55 Shays’s Rebellion

Delegates who attended Armed protests by indebted

the Constitutional farmers showed that the
Convention, representing country needed a stronger
every state except central government to resolve
Rhode Island economic issues and raise troops.

39
Delegates who signed
the Constitution

2
Founding Fathers
Connecticut Compromise
not in attendance at
the Constitutional The framers combined plans for
Convention—John determining representation in the
Adams and Thomas legislature by population or by the
Jefferson number of states by establishing
two legislative bodies.

4
Pieces of 28x23-inch
animal-skin parchment
used to write down the
Constitution

Main Ideas

Separation of Powers

Government is divided into

legislative, executive, and
judicial branches.

Checks & Balances

No branch has more power

than another, and each
checks the others’ authority

Power to the People

Representatives are chosen by

the people through elections.

he powers not delegated to the United States by the

Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are
reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
10th Amendment

Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica, History.com,

Library of Congress, National Archives

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