The Declaration of Independence was written in It was a list of grievances against the king of England intended to justify separation from British rule.
The Constitution was written and signed in It was a charter of government that came to be ratified by the states, and it continues to be the supreme law of the land. Both documents have played an important role in American history and the spread of democratic ideals around the world. They were both signed at Independence Hall, steps from where the National Constitution Center now stands. This was the same place the Declaration of Independence was signed.
The Constitution was written during the Philadelphia Convention—now known as the Constitutional Convention—which convened from May 25 to September 17, It was signed on September 17, The National Constitution Center owns a rare, original copy of the first public printing of the Constitution. This printing was published in a newspaper, The Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser , on September 19, —two days after the Constitution was signed.
The Constitution did not go into effect the moment it was signed by the delegates. It needed to be approved by the people through the ratification process.
Article VII of the Constitution established the process for ratification, by simply stating that. However, the Constitution was the result of months of passionate, thoughtful deliberation among the delegates. Other notable delegates included Benjamin Franklin and George Washington who served as president of the convention. In , Congress authorized delegates to gather in Philadelphia and recommend changes to the existing charter of government for the 13 states, the Articles of Confederation, which many Americans believed had created a weak, ineffective central government.
From the start of the convention, however, it became clear that the delegates were forming an entirely new form of government. First and foremost, the answer is our freedom.
It is, quite simply, the most powerful vision of freedom ever expressed. Our Constitution has been an inspiration that changed the trajectory of world history for the perpetual benefit of mankind. Congress issued the Declaration of Independence in several forms.
It was initially published as a printed broadsheet that was widely distributed and read to the public. Philosophically, the Declaration stressed two themes: These ideas became widely held by Americans and spread internationally as well, influencing in particular the French Revolution.
Written during the summer of in Philadelphia, the Constitution of the United States of America is the fundamental law of the US federal system of government and the landmark document of the Western world. It is the oldest written national constitution in use and defines the principal organs of government and their jurisdictions and the basic rights of citizens.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution—the Bill of Rights—came into effect on December 15, , limiting the powers of the federal government of the United States and protecting the rights of all citizens, residents and visitors in American territory. The Bill of Rights protects freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to keep and bear arms, the freedom of assembly and the freedom to petition. It also prohibits unreasonable search and seizure, cruel and unusual punishment and compelled self-incrimination.
Among the legal protections it affords, the Bill of Rights prohibits Congress from making any law respecting establishment of religion and prohibits the federal government from depriving any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law. In federal criminal cases it requires indictment by a grand jury for any capital offense, or infamous crime, guarantees a speedy public trial with an impartial jury in the district in which the crime occurred, and prohibits double jeopardy. There are Human Rights chapters all over the world.
To join a local chapter or start your own, contact us.