(See Note 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 for the United States
of America.
Article. I.
Section 1.
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.
Section. 2.
Clause 1: 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.
Clause 2: No Person shall be
a Representative who shall not
have attained to the Age of twenty
five Years, and been seven Years
a Citizen of the United States,
and who shall not, when elected,
be an Inhabitant of that State
in which he shall be chosen.
Clause 3: Representatives and
direct Taxes shall be apportioned
among the several States which
may be included within this Union,
according to their respective
Numbers, which shall be determined
by adding to the whole Number
of free Persons, including those
bound to Service for a Term of
Years, and excluding Indians
not taxed, three fifths of all
other Persons. (See Note 2) The
actual Enumeration shall be made
within three Years after the
first Meeting of the Congress
of the United States, and within
every subsequent Term of ten
Years, in such Manner as they
shall by Law direct. The Number
of Representatives shall not
exceed one for every thirty Thousand,
but each State shall have at
Least one Representative; and
until such enumeration shall
be made, the State of New Hampshire
shall be entitled to chuse three,
Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island
and Providence Plantations one,
Connecticut five, New-York six,
New Jersey four, Pennsylvania
eight, Delaware one, Maryland
six, Virginia ten, North Carolina
five, South Carolina five, and
Georgia three.
Clause 4: When vacancies happen
in the Representation from any
State, the Executive Authority
thereof shall issue Writs of
Election to fill such Vacancies.
Clause 5: The House of Representatives
shall chuse their Speaker and
other Officers; and shall have
the sole Power of Impeachment.
Section. 3.
Clause 1: The Senate of the United
States shall be composed of
two Senators from each State,
chosen by the Legislature thereof,
(See Note 3) for six Years;
and each Senator shall have
one Vote.
Clause 2: Immediately after
they shall be assembled in Consequence
of the first Election, they shall
be divided as equally as may
be into three Classes. The Seats
of the Senators of the first
Class shall be vacated at the
Expiration of the second Year,
of the second Class at the Expiration
of the fourth Year, and of the
third Class at the Expiration
of the sixth Year, so that one
third may be chosen every second
Year; and if Vacancies happen
by Resignation, or otherwise,
during the Recess of the Legislature
of any State, the Executive thereof
may make temporary Appointments
until the next Meeting of the
Legislature, which shall then
fill such Vacancies. (See Note
4)
Clause 3: 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.
Clause 4: The Vice President
of the United States shall be
President of the Senate, but
shall have no Vote, unless they
be equally divided.
Clause 5: The Senate shall chuse
their other Officers, and also
a President pro tempore, in the
Absence of the Vice President,
or when he shall exercise the
Office of President of the United
States.
Clause 6: The Senate shall have
the sole Power to try all Impeachments.
When sitting for that Purpose,
they shall be on Oath or Affirmation.
When the President of the United
States is tried, the Chief Justice
shall preside: And no Person
shall be convicted without the
Concurrence of two thirds of
the Members present.
Clause 7: Judgment in Cases
of Impeachment shall not extend
further than to removal from
Office, and disqualification
to hold and enjoy any Office
of honor, Trust or Profit under
the United States: but the Party
convicted shall nevertheless
be liable and subject to Indictment,
Trial, Judgment and Punishment,
according to Law.
Section. 4.
Clause 1: The Times, Places and
Manner of holding Elections
for Senators and Representatives,
shall be prescribed in each
State by the Legislature thereof;
but the Congress may at any
time by Law make or alter such
Regulations, except as to the
Places of chusing Senators.
Clause 2: The Congress shall
assemble at least once in every
Year, and such Meeting shall
be on the first Monday in December,
(See Note 5) unless they shall
by Law appoint a different Day.
Section. 5.
Clause 1: Each House shall be
the Judge of the Elections,
Returns and Qualifications
of its own Members, and a Majority
of each shall constitute a
Quorum to do Business; but
a smaller Number may adjourn
from day to day, and may be
authorized to compel the Attendance
of absent Members, in such
Manner, and under such Penalties
as each House may provide.
Clause 2: Each House may determine
the Rules of its Proceedings,
punish its Members for disorderly
Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence
of two thirds, expel a Member.
Clause 3: Each House shall keep
a Journal of its Proceedings,
and from time to time publish
the same, excepting such Parts
as may in their Judgment require
Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays
of the Members of either House
on any question shall, at the
Desire of one fifth of those
Present, be entered on the Journal.
Clause 4: Neither House, during
the Session of Congress, shall,
without the Consent of the other,
adjourn for more than three days,
nor to any other Place than that
in which the two Houses shall
be sitting.
Section. 6.
Clause 1: The Senators and Representatives
shall receive a Compensation
for their Services, to be ascertained
by Law, and paid out of the
Treasury of the United States.
(See Note 6) They shall in
all Cases, except Treason,
Felony and Breach of the Peace,
beprivileged from Arrest during
their Attendance at the Session
of their respective Houses,
and in going to and returning
from the same; and for any
Speech or Debate in either
House, they shall not be questioned
in any other Place.
Clause 2: No Senator or Representative
shall, during the Time for which
he was elected, be appointed
to any civil Office under the
Authority of the United States,
which shall have been created,
or the Emoluments whereof shall
have been encreased during such
time; and no Person holding any
Office under the United States,
shall be a Member of either House
during his Continuance in Office.
Section. 7.
Clause 1: All Bills for raising
Revenue shall originate in
the House of Representatives;
but the Senate may propose
or concur with Amendments as
on other Bills.
Clause 2: Every Bill which shall
have passed the House of Representatives
and the Senate, shall, before
it become a Law, be presented
to the President of the United
States; If he approve he shall
sign it, but if not he shall
return it, with his Objections
to that House in which it shall
have originated, who shall enter
the Objections at large on their
Journal, and proceed to reconsider
it. If after such Reconsideration
two thirds of that House shall
agree to pass the Bill, it shall
be sent, together with the Objections,
to the other House, by which
it shall likewise be reconsidered,
and if approved by two thirds
of that House, it shall become
a Law. But in all such Cases
the Votes of both Houses shall
be determined by yeas and Nays,
and the Names of the Persons
voting for and against the Bill
shall be entered on the Journal
of each House respectively. If
any Bill shall not be returned
by the President within ten Days
(Sundays excepted) after it shall
have been presented to him, the
Same shall be a Law, in like
Manner as if he had signed it,
unless the Congress by their
Adjournment prevent its Return,
in which Case it shall not be
a Law.
Clause 3: Every Order, Resolution,
or Vote to which the Concurrence
of the Senate and House of Representatives
may be necessary (except on a
question of Adjournment) shall
be presented to the President
of the United States; and before
the Same shall take Effect, shall
be approved by him, or being
disapproved by him, shall be
repassed by two thirds of the
Senate and House of Representatives,
according to the Rules and Limitations
prescribed in the Case of a Bill.
Section. 8.
Clause 1: The Congress shall
have Power To lay and collect
Taxes, Duties, Imposts and
Excises, to pay the Debts and
provide for the common Defence
and general Welfare of the
United States; but all Duties,
Imposts and Excises shall be
uniform throughout the United
States;
Clause 2: To borrow Money on
the credit of the United States;
Clause 3: To regulate Commerce
with foreign Nations, and among
the several States, and with
the Indian Tribes;
Clause 4: To establish an uniform
Rule of Naturalization, and uniform
Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies
throughout the United States;
Clause 5: To coin Money, regulate
the Value thereof, and of foreign
Coin, and fix the Standard of
Weights and Measures;
Clause 6: To provide for the
Punishment of counterfeiting
the Securities and current Coin
of the United States;
Clause 7: To establish Post
Offices and post Roads;
Clause 8: To promote the Progress
of Science and useful Arts, by
securing for limited Times to
Authors and Inventors the exclusive
Right to their respective Writings
and Discoveries;
Clause 9: To constitute Tribunals
inferior to the supreme Court;
Clause 10: To define and punish
Piracies and Felonies committed
on the high Seas, and Offences
against the Law of Nations;
Clause 11: To declare War, grant
Letters of Marque and Reprisal,
and make Rules concerning Captures
on Land and Water;
Clause 12: To raise and support
Armies, but no Appropriation
of Money to that Use shall be
for a longer Term than two Years;
Clause 13: To provide and maintain
a Navy;
Clause 14: To make Rules for
the Government and Regulation
of the land and naval Forces;
Clause 15: To provide for calling
forth the Militia to execute
the Laws of the Union, suppress
Insurrections and repel Invasions;
Clause 16: To provide for organizing,
arming, and disciplining, the
Militia, and for governing such
Part of them as may be employed
in the Service of the United
States, reserving to the States
respectively, the Appointment
of the Officers, and the Authority
of training the Militia according
to the discipline prescribed
by Congress;
Clause 17: To exercise exclusive
Legislation in all Cases whatsoever,
over such District (not exceeding
ten Miles square) as may, byCession
of particular States, and the
Acceptance of Congress, become
the Seat of the Government of
the United States, and to exercise
like Authority over all Places
purchased by the Consent of the
Legislature of the State in which
the Same shall be, for the Erection
of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals,
dock-Yards, and other needful
Buildings;--And
Clause 18: To make all Laws
which shall be necessary and
proper for carrying into Execution
the foregoing Powers, and all
other Powers vested by this Constitution
in the Government of the United
States, or in any Department
or Officer thereof.
Section. 9.
Clause 1: The Migration or Importation
of such Persons as any of the
States now existing shall think
proper to admit, shall not
be prohibited by the Congress
prior to the Year one thousand
eight hundred and eight, but
a Tax or duty may be imposed
on such Importation, not exceeding
ten dollars for each Person.
Clause 2: The Privilege of the
Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not
be suspended, unless when in
Cases of Rebellion or Invasion
the public Safety may require
it.
Clause 3: No Bill of Attainder
or ex post facto Law shall be
passed.
Clause 4: No Capitation, or
other direct, Tax shall be laid,
unless in Proportion to the Census
or Enumeration herein before
directed to be taken. (See Note
7)
Clause 5: No Tax or Duty shall
be laid on Articles exported
from any State.
Clause 6: No Preference shall
be given by any Regulation of
Commerce or Revenue to the Ports
of one State over those of another:
nor shall Vessels bound to, or
from, one State, be obliged to
enter, clear, or pay Duties in
another.
Clause 7: No Money shall be
drawn from the Treasury, but
in Consequence of Appropriations
made by Law; and a regular Statement
and Account of the Receipts and
Expenditures of all public Money
shall be published from time
to time.
Clause 8: No Title of Nobility
shall be granted by the United
States: And no Person holding
any Office of Profit or Trust
under them, shall, without the
Consent of the Congress, accept
of any present, Emolument, Office,
or Title, of any kind whatever,
from any King, Prince, or foreign
State.
Section. 10.
Clause 1: No State shall enter
into any Treaty, Alliance,
or Confederation; grant Letters
of Marque and Reprisal; coin
Money; emit Bills of Credit;
make any Thing but gold and
silver Coin a Tender in Payment
of Debts; pass any Bill of
Attainder, ex post facto Law,
or Law impairing the Obligation
of Contracts, or grant any
Title of Nobility.
Clause 2: No State shall, without
the Consent of the Congress,
lay any Imposts or Duties on
Imports or Exports, except what
may be absolutely necessary for
executing it's inspection Laws:
and the net Produce of all Duties
and Imposts, laid by any State
on Imports or Exports, shall
be for the Use of the Treasury
of the United States; and all
such Laws shall be subject to
the Revision and Controul of
the Congress.
Clause 3: No State shall, without
the Consent of Congress, lay
any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops,
or Ships of War in time of Peace,
enter into any Agreement or Compact
with another State, or with a
foreign Power, or engage in War,
unless actually invaded, or in
such imminent Danger as will
not admit of delay.
Article. II.
Section. 1.
Clause 1: The executive Power
shall be vested in a President
of the United States of America.
He shall hold his Office during
the Term of four Years, and,
together with the Vice President,
chosen for the same Term, be
elected, as follows
Clause 2: Each State shall appoint,
in such Manner as the Legislature
thereof may direct, a Number
of Electors, equal to the whole
Number of Senators and Representatives
to which the State may be entitled
in the Congress: but no Senator
or Representative, or Person
holding an Office of Trust or
Profit under the United States,
shall be appointed an Elector.
Clause 3: The Electors shall
meet in their respective States,
and vote by Ballot for two Persons,
of whom one at least shall not
be an Inhabitant of the same
State with themselves. And they
shall make a List of all the
Persons voted for, and of the
Number of Votes for each; which
List they shall sign and certify,
and transmit sealed to the Seat
of the Government of the United
States, directed to the President
of the Senate. The President
of the Senate shall, in the Presence
of the Senate and House of Representatives,
open all the Certificates, and
the Votes shall then be counted.
The Person having the greatest
Number of Votes shall be the
President, if such Number be
a Majority of the whole Number
of Electors appointed; and if
there be more than one who have
such Majority, and have an equal
Number of Votes, then the House
of Representatives shall immediately
chuse by Ballot one of them for
President; and if no Person have
a Majority, then from the five
highest on the List the said
House shall in like Manner chuse
the President. But in chusing
the President, the Votes shall
be taken by States, the Representation
from each State having one Vote;
A quorum for this Purpose shall
consist of a Member or Members
from two thirds of the States,
and a Majority of all the States
shall be necessary to a Choice.
In every Case, after the Choice
of the President, the Person
having the greatest Number of
Votes of the Electors shall be
the Vice President. But if there
should remain two or more who
have equal Votes, the Senate
shall chuse from them by Ballot
the Vice President. (See Note
8)
Clause 4: The Congress may determine
the Time of chusing the Electors,
and the Day on which they shall
give their Votes; which Day shall
be the same throughout the United
States.
Clause 5: No Person except a
natural born Citizen, or a Citizen
of the United States, at the
time of the Adoption of this
Constitution, shall be eligible
to the Office of President; neither
shall any Person be eligible
to that Office who shall not
have attained to the Age of thirty
five Years, and been fourteen
Years a Resident within the United
States.
Clause 6: In Case of the Removal
of the President from Office,
or of his Death, Resignation,
or Inability to discharge the
Powers and Duties of the said
Office, (See Note 9) the Same
shall devolve on the VicePresident,
and the Congress may by Law provide
for the Case of Removal, Death,
Resignation or Inability, both
of the President and Vice President,
declaring what Officer shall
then act as President, and such
Officer shall act accordingly,
until the Disability be removed,
or a President shall be elected.
Clause 7: The President shall,
at stated Times, receive for
his Services, a Compensation,
which shall neither be encreased
nor diminished during the Period
for which he shall have been
elected, and he shall not receive
within that Period any other
Emolument from the United States,
or any of them.
Clause 8: Before
he enter on the Execution of
his Office,
he shall take the following Oath
or Affirmation:--"I do solemnly
swear (or affirm) that I will
faithfully execute the Office
of President of the United States,
and will to the best of my Ability,
preserve, protect and defend
the Constitution of the United
States."
Section. 2.
Clause 1: The President shall
be Commander in Chief of the
Army and Navy of the United
States, and of the Militia
of the several States, when
called into the actual Service
of the United States; he may
require the Opinion, in writing,
of the principal Officer in
each of the executive Departments,
upon any Subject relating to
the Duties of their respective
Offices, and he shall have
Power to grant Reprieves and
Pardons for Offences against
the United States, except in
Cases of Impeachment.
Clause 2: He shall have Power,
by and with the Advice and Consent
of the Senate, to make Treaties,
provided two thirds of the Senators
present concur; and he shall
nominate, and by and with the
Advice and Consent of the Senate,
shall appoint Ambassadors, other
public Ministers and Consuls,
Judges of the supreme Court,
and all other Officers of the
United States, whose Appointments
are not herein otherwise provided
for, and which shall be established
by Law: but the Congress may
by Law vest the Appointment of
such inferior Officers, as they
think proper, in the President
alone, in the Courts of Law,
or in the Heads of Departments.
Clause 3: The President shall
have Power to fill up all Vacancies
that may happen during the Recess
of the Senate, by granting Commissions
which shall expire at the End
of their next Session.
Section. 3.
He shall from time to time give
to the Congress Information
of the State of the Union,
and recommend to their Consideration
such Measures as he shall judge
necessary and expedient; he
may, on extraordinary Occasions,
convene both Houses, or either
of them, and in Case of Disagreement
between them, with Respect
to the Time of Adjournment,
he may adjourn them to such
Time as he shall think proper;
he shall receive Ambassadors
and other public Ministers;
he shall take Care that the
Laws be faithfully executed,
and shall Commission all the
Officers of the United States.
Section. 4.
The President, Vice President
and all civil Officers of the
United States, shall be removed
from Office on Impeachment
for, and Conviction of, Treason,
Bribery, or other high Crimes
and Misdemeanors.
Article. III.
Section. 1.
The judicial Power of the United
States, shall be vested in one
supreme Court, and in such inferior
Courts as the Congress may from
time to time ordain and establish.
The Judges, both of the supreme
and inferior Courts, shall hold
their Offices during good Behaviour,
and shall, at stated Times, receive
for their Services, a Compensation,
which shall not be diminished
during their Continuance in Office.
Section. 2.
Clause 1: The judicial Power
shall extend to all Cases,
in Law and Equity, arising
under this Constitution, the
Laws of the United States,
and Treaties made, or which
shall be made, under their
Authority;--to all Cases affecting
Ambassadors, other public Ministers
and Consuls;--to all Cases
of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;--to
Controversies to which the
United States shall be a Party;--to
Controversies between two or
more States;--between a State
and Citizens of another State;
(See Note 10)--between Citizens
of different States, --between
Citizens of the same State
claiming Lands under Grants
of different States, and between
a State, or the Citizens thereof,
and foreign States, Citizens
or Subjects.
Clause 2: In all Cases affecting
Ambassadors, other public Ministers
and Consuls, and those in which
a State shall be Party, the supreme
Court shall have original Jurisdiction.
In all the other Cases before
mentioned, the supreme Court
shall have appellate Jurisdiction,
both as to Law and Fact, with
such Exceptions, and under such
Regulations as the Congress shall
make.
Clause 3: The Trial of all Crimes,
except in Cases of Impeachment,
shall be by Jury; and such Trial
shall be held in the State where
the said Crimes shall have been
committed; but when not committed
within any State, the Trial shall
be at such Place or Places as
the Congress may by Law have
directed.
Section. 3.
Clause 1: Treason against the
United States, shall consist
only in levying War against
them, or in adhering to their
Enemies, giving them Aid and
Comfort. No Person shall be
convicted of Treason unless
on the Testimony of two Witnesses
to the same overt Act, or on
Confession in open Court.
Clause 2: The Congress shall
have Power to declare the Punishment
of Treason, but no Attainder
of Treason shall work Corruption
of Blood, or Forfeiture except
during the Life of the Person
attainted.
Article. IV.
Section. 1.
Full Faith and Credit shall be
given in each State to the public
Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings
of every other State. And the
Congress may by general Laws
prescribe the Manner in which
such Acts, Records and Proceedings
shall be proved, and the Effect
thereof.
Section. 2.
Clause 1: The Citizens of each
State shall be entitled to
all Privileges and Immunities
of Citizens in the several
States.
Clause 2: A Person charged in
any State with Treason, Felony,
or other Crime, who shall flee
from Justice, and be found in
another State, shall on Demand
of the executive Authority of
the State from which he fled,
be delivered up, to be removed
to the State having Jurisdiction
of the Crime.
Clause 3: No Person held to
Service or Labour in one State,
under the Laws thereof, escaping
into another, shall, in Consequence
of any Law or Regulation therein,
be discharged from such Service
or Labour, but shall be delivered
up on Claim of the Party to whom
such Service or Labour may be
due. (See Note 11)
Section. 3.
Clause 1: New States may be admitted
by the Congress into this Union;
but no new State shall be formed
or erected within the Jurisdiction
of any other State; nor any
State be formed by the Junction
of two or more States, or Parts
of States, without the Consent
of the Legislatures of the
States concerned as well as
of the Congress.
Clause 2: The Congress shall
have Power to dispose of and
make all needful Rules and Regulations
respecting the Territory or other
Property belonging to the United
States; and nothing in this Constitution
shall be so construed as to Prejudice
any Claims of the United States,
or of any particular State.
Section. 4.
The United States shall guarantee
to every State in this Union
a Republican Form of Government,
and shall protect each of them
against Invasion; and on Application
of the Legislature, or of the
Executive (when the Legislature
cannot be convened) against
domestic Violence.
Article. V.
The Congress, whenever two thirds
of both Houses shall deem it
necessary, shall propose Amendments
to this Constitution, or, on
the Application of the Legislatures
of two thirds of the several
States, shall call a Convention
for proposing Amendments, which,
in either Case, shall be valid
to all Intents and Purposes,
as Part of this Constitution,
when ratified by the Legislatures
of three fourths of the several
States, or by Conventions in
three fourths thereof, as the
one or the other Mode of Ratification
may be proposed by the Congress;
Provided that no Amendment
which may be made prior to
the Year One thousand eight
hundred and eight shall in
any Manner affect the first
and fourth Clauses in the Ninth
Section of the first Article;
and that no State, without
its Consent, shall be deprived
of its equal Suffrage in the
Senate.
Article. VI.
Clause 1: All Debts contracted
and Engagements entered into,
before the Adoption of this
Constitution, shall be as valid
against the United States under
this Constitution, as under
the Confederation.
Clause 2: This Constitution,
and the Laws of the United States
which shall be made in Pursuance
thereof; and all Treaties made,
or which shall be made, under
the Authority of the United States,
shall be the supreme Law of the
Land; and the Judges in every
State shall be bound thereby,
any Thing in the Constitution
or Laws of any State to the Contrary
notwithstanding.
Clause 3: The Senators and Representatives
before mentioned, and the Members
of the several State Legislatures,
and all executive and judicial
Officers, both of the United
States and of the several States,
shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation,
to support this Constitution;
but no religious Test shall ever
be required as a Qualification
to any Office or public Trust
under the United States.
Article. VII.
The Ratification of the Conventions
of nine States, shall be sufficient
for the Establishment of this
Constitution between the States
so ratifying the Same.
done in Convention by the Unanimous
Consent of the States present
the Seventeenth Day of September
in the Year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and Eighty seven
and of the Independence of the
United States of America the
Twelfth In witness whereof We
have hereunto subscribed our
Names,
GO WASHINGTON--Presidt. and
deputy from Virginia
[Signed also by the deputies
of twelve States.]
Delaware
Geo: Read
Gunning Bedford jun
John Dickinson
Richard Bassett
Jaco: Broom
Maryland
James MCHenry
Dan of ST ThoS. Jenifer
DanL Carroll.
Virginia
John Blair--
James Madison Jr.
North Carolina
WM Blount
RichD. Dobbs Spaight.
Hu Williamson
South Carolina
J. Rutledge
Charles 1ACotesworth Pinckney
Charles Pinckney
Pierce Butler.
Georgia
William Few
Abr Baldwin
New Hampshire
John Langdon
Nicholas Gilman
Massachusetts
Nathaniel Gorham
Rufus King
Connecticut
WM. SamL. Johnson
Roger Sherman
New York
Alexander Hamilton
New Jersey
Wil: Livingston
David Brearley.
WM. Paterson.
Jona: Dayton
Pennsylvania
B Franklin
Thomas Mifflin
RobT Morris
Geo. Clymer
ThoS. FitzSimons
Jared Ingersoll
James Wilson.
Gouv Morris
Attest William Jackson Secretary
NOTES
Note 1: This text of the Constitution
follows the engrossed copy signed
by Gen. Washington and the deputies
from 12 States. The small superior
figures preceding the paragraphs
designate Clauses, and were not
in the original and have no reference
to footnotes.
The Constitution was adopted
by a convention of the States
on September 17, 1787, and was
subsequently ratified by the
several States, on the following
dates: Delaware, December 7,
1787; Pennsylvania, December
12, 1787; New Jersey, December
18, 1787; Georgia, January 2,
1788; Connecticut, January 9,
1788; Massachusetts, February
6, 1788; Maryland, April 28,
1788; South Carolina, May 23,
1788; New Hampshire, June 21,
1788.
Ratification was completed on
June 21, 1788.
The Constitution was subsequently
ratified by Virginia, June 25,
1788; New York, July 26, 1788;
North Carolina, November 21,
1789; Rhode Island, May 29, 1790;
and Vermont, January 10, 1791.
In May 1785, a committee of
Congress made a report recommending
an alteration in the Articles
of Confederation, but no action
was taken on it, and it was left
to the State Legislatures to
proceed in the matter. In January
1786, the Legislature of Virginia
passed a resolution providing
for the appointment of five commissioners,
who, or any three of them, should
meet such commissioners as might
be appointed in the other States
of the Union, at a time and place
to be agreed upon, to take into
consideration the trade of the
United States; to consider how
far a uniform system in their
commercial regulations may be
necessary to their common interest
and their permanent harmony;
and to report to the several
States such an act, relative
to this great object, as, when
ratified by them, will enable
the United States in Congress
effectually to provide for the
same. The Virginia commissioners,
after some correspondence, fixed
the first Monday in September
as the time, and the city of
Annapolis as the place for the
meeting, but only four other
States were represented, viz:
Delaware, New York, New Jersey,
and Pennsylvania; the commissioners
appointed by Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, North Carolina, and
Rhode Island failed to attend.
Under the circumstances of so
partial a representation, the
commissioners present agreed
upon a report, (drawn by Mr.
Hamilton, of New York,) expressing
their unanimous conviction that
it might essentially tend to
advance the interests of the
Union if the States by which
they were respectively delegated
would concur, and use their endeavors
to procure the concurrence of
the other States, in the appointment
of commissioners to meet at Philadelphia
on the Second Monday of May following,
to take into consideration the
situation of the United States;
to devise such further provisions
as should appear to them necessary
to render the Constitution of
the Federal Government adequate
to the exigencies of the Union;
and to report such an act for
that purpose to the United States
in Congress assembled as, when
agreed to by them and afterwards
confirmed by the Legislatures
of every State, would effectually
provide for the same.
Congress, on
the 21st of February, 1787,
adopted a resolution in
favor of a convention, and the
Legislatures of those States
which had not already done so
(with the exception of Rhode
Island) promptly appointed delegates.
On the 25th of May, seven States
having convened, George Washington,
of Virginia, was unanimously
elected President, and the consideration
of the proposed constitution
was commenced. On the 17th of
September, 1787, the Constitution
as engrossed and agreed upon
was signed by all the members
present, except Mr. Gerry of
Massachusetts, and Messrs. Mason
and Randolph, of Virginia. The
president of the convention transmitted
it to Congress, with a resolution
stating how the proposed Federal
Government should be put in operation,
and an explanatory letter. Congress,
on the 28th of September, 1787,
directed the Constitution so
framed, with the resolutions
and letter concerning the same,
to "be transmitted to the
several Legislatures in order
to be submitted to a convention
of delegates chosen in each State
by the people thereof, in conformity
to the resolves of the convention."
On the 4th of March, 1789, the
day which had been fixed for
commencing the operations of
Government under the new Constitution,
it had been ratified by the conventions
chosen in each State to consider
it, as follows: Delaware, December
7, 1787; Pennsylvania, December
12, 1787; New Jersey, December
18, 1787; Georgia, January 2,
1788; Connecticut, January 9,
1788; Massachusetts, February
6, 1788; Maryland, April 28,
1788; South Carolina, May 23,
1788; New Hampshire, June 21,
1788; Virginia, June 25, 1788;
and New York, July 26, 1788.
The President
informed Congress, on the 28th
of January, 1790,
that North Carolina had ratified
the Constitution November 21,
1789; and he informed Congress
on the 1st of June, 1790, that
Rhode Island had ratified the
Constitution May 29, 1790. Vermont,
in convention, ratified the Constitution
January 10, 1791, and was, by
an act of Congress approved February
18, 1791, "received and
admitted into this Union as a
new and entire member of the
United States."
Note 2: The part of this Clause
relating to the mode of apportionment
of representatives among the
several States has been affected
by Section 2 of amendment XIV,
and as to taxes on incomes without
apportionment by amendment XVI.
Note 3: This Clause has been
affected by Clause 1 of amendment
XVII.
Note 4: This Clause has been
affected by Clause 2 of amendment
XVIII.
Note 5: This Clause has been
affected by amendment XX.
Note 6: This Clause has been
affected by amendment XXVII.
Note 7: This Clause has been
affected by amendment XVI.
Note 8: This Clause has been
superseded by amendment XII.
Note 9: This Clause has been
affected by amendment XXV.
Note 10: This Clause has been
affected by amendment XI.
Note 11: This Clause has been
affected by amendment XIII.
Note 12: The first ten amendments
to the Constitution of the United
States (and two others, one of
which failed of ratification
and the other which later became
the 27th amendment) were proposed
to the legislatures of the several
States by the First Congress
on September 25, 1789. The first
ten amendments were ratified
by the following States, and
the notifications of ratification
by the Governors thereof were
successively communicated by
the President to Congress: New
Jersey, November 20, 1789; Maryland,
December 19, 1789; North Carolina,
December 22, 1789; South Carolina,
January 19, 1790; New Hampshire,
January 25, 1790; Delaware, January
28, 1790; New York, February
24, 1790; Pennsylvania, March
10, 1790; Rhode Island, June
7, 1790; Vermont, November 3,
1791; and Virginia, December
15, 1791.
Ratification was completed on
December 15, 1791.
The amendments were subsequently
ratified by the legislatures
of Massachusetts, March 2, 1939;
Georgia, March 18, 1939; and
Connecticut, April 19, 1939.
Note 13: Only the 13th, 14th,
15th, and 16th articles of amendment
had numbers assigned to them
at the time of ratification.
Note 14: This sentence has been
superseded by section 3 of amendment
XX.
Note 15: See amendment XIX and
section 1 of amendment XXVI.
Note 16: Repealed by section
1 of amendment XXI.
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