What was the name of the document that established our national government that came before the US Constitution?

  1. ANCHOR
  2. Revolutionary North Carolina (1763-1790)
  3. A New National Government

Printer-friendly page

The First National Government: The Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation served as the written document that established the functions of the national government of the United States after it declared independence from Great Britain. The Albany Plan, an earlier, pre-independence attempt at joining the colonies into a larger union, had failed in part because the individual colonies were concerned about losing power to another central institution. However, as the American Revolution gained momentum, many political leaders saw the advantages of a centralized government that could coordinate the Revolutionary War.

Some Continental Congress delegates had previously discussed plans for a more permanent union than the Continental Congress, whose status was temporary. Benjamin Franklin submitted his Sketch of Articles of Confederation to the Continental Congress on July 21, 1775, a year prior to the colonies declaring their independence. While some delegates, such as Thomas Jefferson, supported Franklin’s proposal, many others were strongly opposed. 

On June 11, 1776, the Continental Congress resolved "that a committee be appointed to prepare and digest the form of a confederation to be entered into between these colonies." On July 12, 1776, the first draft of the Articles of Confederation was presented to the Continental Congress. Delegates finally formulated the Articles of Confederation, in which they agreed to state-by-state voting and proportional state tax burdens based on land values, though they left the issue of state claims to western lands unresolved. The Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation on November 15, 1777.

The Articles required unanimous approval (ratification) from the states. On July 9, 1778, the following states signed the ratification of the Articles of Confederation: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and South Carolina. Representatives from New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland indicated that they did not yet have the power to sign and ratify. The states of North Carolina and Georgia were not present. The states that did not ratify on July 9, 1778, signed their consent to ratification as follows:

July 21, 1778 - North Carolina
July 24, 1778 - Georgia
November 26, 1778 - New Jersey
May 5, 1779 - Delaware
March 1, 1781 - Maryland


References:

A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875, Journals of the Continental Congress, vol. 11 (p. 677, 709, 716), vol. 12 (p.1164), vol. 14 (p. 548), vol. 19 (p. 213). 

“The Articles of Confederation,” Primary Documents in American History, Library of Congress. https://guides.loc.gov/articles-of-confederation.

What is the U.S. Constitution?

The U.S. Constitution is the fundamental framework of America’s system of government.

The Constitution:

  • Creates a government that puts the power in the hands of the people
  • Separates the powers of government into three branches: the legislative branch, which makes the laws; the executive branch, which executes the laws; and the judicial branch, which interprets the laws
  • Sets up a system of checks and balances that ensures no one branch has too much power
  • Divides power between the states and the federal government
  • Describes the purposes and duties of the government
  • Defines the scope and limit of government power
  • Prescribes the system for electing representatives
  • Establishes the process for the document’s ratification and amendment
  • Outlines many rights and freedoms of the people

What is the difference between the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence?

Though connected in spirit, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are separate, distinct documents.

The Declaration of Independence was written in 1776. 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 1787. 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.

When and where was the Constitution written and signed?

The Constitution was written and signed in Philadelphia in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. 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, 1787. It was signed on September 17, 1787.

Where is the Constitution? Is it at the National Constitution Center?

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, 1787—two days after the Constitution was signed.

The Constitutional Convention was conducted under an oath of secrecy, so this printing represents the first time that Americans—“We the People”—saw the Constitution.

The original signed, handwritten Constitution is at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

When did the Constitution go into effect?

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. “The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.” On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify;  and the Confederation Congress established March 4, 1789, as the date to begin operating a new government under the Constitution.

Who wrote the Constitution?

Because many of James Madison’s ideas made their way into the Constitution, he is often referred to as the “Father of the Constitution.” Indeed, he was a driving force of the convention throughout the summer of 1787, and his notes of the deliberations have provided valuable insights into the proceedings.

However, the Constitution was the result of months of passionate, thoughtful deliberation among the delegates. Many others besides James Madison made important contributions, particularly those who served on the Committee of Detail, which included Oliver Ellsworth, Nathaniel Gorham, Edmund Randolph, John Rutledge, and James Wilson; and those on the Committee of Style, which included Alexander Hamilton, William Johnson, Rufus King, and Gouverneur Morris. Other notable delegates included Benjamin Franklin and George Washington (who served as president of the convention).

Why was the Constitution written?

In 1787, 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.

The Preamble of this history-changing document makes it clear why it was written:

“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.”

Why is the Constitution so important?

In The Constitution: The Essential User’s Guide, the Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor, former associate justice of the Supreme Court, put it this way:

“What makes the Constitution worthy of our commitment? First and foremost, the answer is our freedom. It is, quite simply, the most powerful vision of freedom ever expressed. It’s also the world’s shortest and oldest national constitution, neither so rigid as to be stifling, nor so malleable as to be devoid of meaning.

Our Constitution has been an inspiration that changed the trajectory of world history for the perpetual benefit of mankind. In 1787, no country in the world had ever allowed its citizens to select their own form of government, much less to select a democratic government. What was revolutionary when it was written, and what continues to inspire the world today, is that the Constitution put governance in the hands of the people.”

What is Constitution Day?

Constitution Day is a federal observance that commemorates the U.S. Constitution. It is observed on September 17, the day the Constitution was signed in 1787.

Constitution Day was established by law in 2004. In addition to creating Constitution Day (on the day that had formerly been known as Citizenship Day), the act requires that any educational institution that receives federal funds holds an educational program on the Constitution on September 17.

Fulfill the Constitution Day education requirement using resources on the Center's Interactive Constitution: Classroom Edition.

How can I learn more about the Constitution?

You’re in the right place! The National Constitution Center is the place where the Constitution is celebrated, debated, and illuminated.

Visit our Museum
Explore the Constitution
Educational Resources
Read our Blog

What was the document that created the government called?

The Constitution. Written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789, the U.S. Constitution is the world's longest surviving written charter of government.

What is the name of the document that first formed the government of the United States after our independence from England?

The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain.

What was the name of the document that produced the first government of the United States after our break from Great Britain November 15 1777?

The Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States, on November 15, 1777. However, ratification of the Articles of Confederation by all thirteen states did not occur until March 1, 1781.

What was the name of the first document that provided the foundation of U.S. government?

U.S. Constitution The foundation of the American government, its purpose, form, and structure, are in the Constitution of the United States. The Constitutional Convention adopted the Constitution on September 17, 1787.