The Congressional Research Service is a nonpartisan group dedicated solely to responding to questions and providing deeply researched explanations to members of Congress and their staff. The overview lays out the establishment of the US Agency for International Development in 1961, legal restrictions on its elimination, and options to restructure or fold USAID into other departments.
The US Constitution is the foundational legal document of the United States, establishing the framework for the federal government and outlining the rights of its citizens.
Ratified in 1788, the nearly 8,000-word document consists of a preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments.
The original four-page document is the oldest active written national constitution in the world—and one of the shortest—having inspired dozens of countries in the centuries since to create their own similar national structure of government.
Delegates from 12 of the original 13 states (Rhode Island did not participate) convened to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first governing document. The articles, ratified in 1781, had established a weak central government lacking the authority to tax, regulate commerce, or enforce laws.
The framers of the new Constitution—including prominent figures like George Washington, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Hamilton—designed a new framework that included a stronger federal structure secured by the separation of powers into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
After months of intense debate and compromise, the delegates signed the final document on Sept. 17, 1787.
Compromises
The drafting of the US Constitution required several key compromises to balance the diverse interests of the states, addressing contentious issues such as representation, slavery, and federal power—decisions that have profoundly shaped American history.
The "Great Compromise” balanced the needs of large and small states by dividing the legislative branch into two bodies: the House of Representatives, with representation based on population determined by a census, and the Senate, where each state had equal representation.
The "Three-Fifths Compromise" resolved disputes over how enslaved individuals would be counted for representation and taxation. It infamously established that each enslaved person would count as three-fifths of a person in the census, a policy reversed by the fallout of the Civil War 80 years later.
Other significant agreements included the establishment of the Electoral College and a promise to draft a Bill of Rights as amendments to the document.
Amendments
The US Constitution can be amended through a two-step process: Initially, an amendment is proposed either by a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate or by a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures (which has never been used). Once proposed, the amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures or by conventions in three-fourths of the states.
Since its adoption, the Constitution has been amended 27 times out of over 10,000 proposals (see some that failed). The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, safeguard the individual freedoms of citizens. After the Civil War, the Reconstruction Amendments abolished slavery (13th), established citizenship rights and equal protection under the law (14th), and secured the right to vote regardless of race (15th).
The 19th Amendment expanded voting rights to women in 1920. Later amendments focus on modernizing governance, such as the creation of presidential term limits (22nd) and reducing the voting age to 18 (26th).
The Constitution has only undergone one amendment in the last 50 years. This reflects the intended rigor of the amendment process, which requires broad political and public consensus.
Legacy
The Constitution continues to shape political discourse in America, with many contemporary debates rooted in its interpretation. “Originalists,” who view the US Constitution through its original meaning at the time of enactment, assert that this fixed meaning should guide its application today. Proponents of the “living Constitution” argue that the Constitution’s meaning should evolve over time to address modern societal challenges and changes.
How the US Constitution has influenced other countries
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In 1787, the US Constitution introduced a new system of governance, emphasizing separation of powers and enshrining freedoms like speech, press, and religion. While it inspired democratic movements worldwide, its rigidity has made it less of a modern model, as nations now embrace more adaptable frameworks.
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The United States Constitution was an inspiration for governing documents around the world. This interactive tool from the National Constitution Center allows you to explore how countries globally incorporate the rights found in the US Constitution. Select specific rights to see which nations have similar provisions and gain an insight into how constitutional principles are implemented worldwide.
The US Constitution has continually evolved throughout history, as impactful individuals pushed for America to live up to the ideals espoused in the document. Explore the debates, decisions, and important moments that have defined the nation’s founding document in this multiepisode podcast series from the Washington Post.
The crafting of the US Constitution was an arduous process that included a complex web of hundreds of drafts and suggestions from the states. This resource from the National Constitution Center displays the process that created each of the amendments found in the Bill of Rights.
In 2023, author AJ Jacobs attempted to “get inside the minds of the Founding Fathers” by living by the principles found in the US Constitution as closely as possible for an entire year. Watch this amusing "CBS Sunday Morning" interview with Jacobs to learn more about his experience and hear about his resulting book.
While the 1789 US Constitution is revered as one of the most influential governing documents in the world, there are other active, written constitutions that predate it. Monaco's constitution is even older, and if you include the 1215 Magna Carta, the UK has a pretty old one, too. See their locations and ages with this visualization.
Delegates from only 12 of the original 13 US states attended the four-month Constitutional convention in Philadelphia in 1787. The lone holdout was highly democratic Rhode Island, whose 30 towns were against the idea of creating a more powerful central government. Read about the state's opposition and eventual inclusion in the republic the founders created here.
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