- Fact 2 - Definition: United States
Constitution: The US constitution, primary principles and laws
that regulate the government, was written at the Constitutional
Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 and subsequently ratified by
the original 13 states
- the U.S. Constitution consists of 7
Articles followed by 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are
known as the Bill of Rights
- Fact 3 - A major objective of the
Constitution was to create a government with enough power to act
on a national level, but without so much power that the
fundamental rights of citizens would be at risk
- Fact 4 - Amendments to the
Constitution: The founders specified a process by which the
Constitution could be amended, and since its ratification, the
Constitution has been amended twenty-seven times
- Fact 5 - Ratification: Ratification
means making something valid by formally ratifying, or
confirming, it
- Fact 6 - Bill of Rights 1791: The
Bill of Rights is a list of the most important rights and
privileges of the citizens of a country, especially the first 10
amendments to the United States Constitution
- Fact 7 - The First Amendment
guarantees the right of free speech including in assemblies, in
the media and freedom of religion
- Fact 8 - Second Amendment
guarantees the right to keep and bear arms
- Fact 9 - The Third Amendment
forbids the government from quartering troops in private homes
- Fact 10 - The Fourth Amendment
guards against unreasonable searches and seizures
- Fact 11 - The Fifth Amendment
guards against the abuse of government authority in a legal
procedure. It famously states that no person 'shall be compelled
in any criminal case to be a witness against himself
- Fact 12 - The Sixth Amendment
guarantees the rights of persons accused of crimes
- Fact 13 - The Seventh Amendment
guarantees the right to a jury trial in civil matters
- Fact 14 - The Eight Amendment
guards against excessive punishments
- Fact 15 - The Ninth Amendment
states that there are certain rights listed in the Constitution,
but that does not mean that there aren't other rights that the
people have that are not listed.
- Fact 16 - The Tenth Amendment
assigns all powers not delegated to the United States, or
prohibited to the states, to either the states or to the people
- Fact 17 - The Declaration of
Independence from British rule and King George III was written
in 1776 and necessitated the creation of a formal government
structure - The Constitution
- Fact 18 - The influence of
Magna Carta, a charter signed in 1215 by King John of
England, which was can be seen in the United States Constitution
and the Bill of Rights. Article 21 from the Declaration of
Rights in the Maryland Constitution of 1776 states:
"That no freeman ought to be taken, or imprisoned, or
disseized of his freehold, liberties, or privileges, or
outlawed, or exiled, or in any manner destroyed, or deprived of
his life, liberty, or property, but by the judgment of his
peers, or by the law of the land."
- Fact 19 - The Constitution did not
give women the right to vote until 1920
- Fact 20 - James Madison is
considered to be the Father of the US Constitution because he
was the main person in preparing the document
- Fact 21 - It was written in
Pennsylvania State House, now known as the Independence Hall
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