The Constitution of the U.S. Credit: masterclips.com

This important written work, contains the outline on which the American nation is governed. A Federal Republic that works with the national government and the states. In the national government, power is separated between three branches, the executive, legislative, and judicial. The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land; no other law, state constitution or statute, federal legislation, or executive order can operate in conflict with it. The Federal Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia and ratified by the required nine states by June 21, 1788, the Constitution took effect in 1789, becoming law over the Articles of Confederation (1781). This document is small, consisting of a preamble, 7 articles, and 27 amendments. The Bill of Rights,make upthe first 10 amendments to the constitution. They were written in 1791 to give individual liberties. Amendments 1 through 8 prohibit certain federal actions. These were written because of British actions when the colonies stated their Declaration of Independence. The 9th amendment states that the people retain any rights not specified in the Constitution. The 10th amendment reserves to the state powers not given to the federal government and is the foundation of States' Rights doctrine. The 27th amendment, which postpones the effect of any law that alters congressional pay until after the next election, was originally submitted to the states with the first 10 amendments but was not ratified until 1992. After 1791, amendments to the Constitution were few. The 14th amendment assuring that the rights of citizens cannot be abridged by the states-has been the basis for limitation of many state actions. This document has had many challenges in court on the specific meaning and spirit of the document.

This document drives freedom-loving people from all over the world to seek a better way of life, to the United States.

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