United States Constitution
For the full text of the U.S. Constitution, see Full Text of the United States Constitution.
The United States Constitution is the supreme legal text that formed the framework of the current United States government. It superseded the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution was developed at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia during the summer of 1787 and proposed to the states on September 17, 1787.[1] It became law when nine out of thirteen states ratified it, despite the Articles of Confederation requiring unanimity for amendment. It took effect on March 4, 1789. It is the oldest constitution of its type still in effect.[Citation Needed]
Constitutional Principles
The Constitution of the United States of America specifies the laws by which The United States government is aloud to govern, among these are limited government with a separation of powers, Freedom of Religion, Freedom of The Press, and Freedom of Speech, the writ of habous corpus (Amendment XIV), a system of checks and balances by establishing three separate but equal branches of government, and a list of powers reserved to the states and the people. It also established a republic form of government, with the consent of the governed.