Purpose of the Constitution of the United States
› The Constitution of the United States of America was drafted in 1787.
› The Judicial, Executive and Legislative segments of the government came into effect in 1789.
› The main purpose of the constitution is to establish the basic rights of all American citizens.
› The Constitution of the United States established America’s national government and fundamental laws and guaranteed certain basic rights for its citizens.
› It was signed on September 17, 1787, by delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
› The Constitution, originally comprising seven articles, delineates the national frame of government.
› Its first three articles entrench the doctrine of the separation of powers, whereby the federal government is divided into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress; the executive, consisting of the President; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts.
› Articles Four, Five and Six entrench concepts of federalism, describing the rights and responsibilities of state governments and of the states in relation to the federal government.
› Article Seven establishes the procedure subsequently used by the thirteen States to ratify it.
› This constitution is regarded as the oldest written and codified constitution in force of the world.
The United States constitution was made to defend the rights of the citizens of the United States. It was made so the people could be treated fairly and to establish the law of the land and protect individuals from government abuse that the founding fathers saw the English monarchy committed.
Preamble of the US Constitution
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.
6 Purposes of the Constitution (in the Preamble)
1. to form a more perfect union
2. establish justice
3. ensure domestic tranquility
4. provide for the common defense
5. promote the general welfare
6. secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity
