23 Facts About United States Constitution

1.

Since the United States Constitution came into force in 1789, it has been amended 27 times, including one amendment that repealed a previous one, in order to meet the needs of a nation that has profoundly changed since the 18th century.

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2.

For over two centuries the United States Constitution has remained in force because its framers wisely separated and balanced governmental powers to safeguard the interests of majority rule and minority rights, of liberty and equality, and of the federal and state governments.

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3.

Internationally, the United States had little ability to defend its sovereignty.

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4.

Advocates of the Constitution were anxious to obtain unanimous support of all twelve states represented in the convention.

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5.

Supreme Court Justices, the ultimate interpreters of the United States Constitution, have cited Montesquieu throughout the Court's history.

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6.

Substantial body of thought had been developed from the literature of republicanism in the United States, including work by John Adams and applied to the creation of state constitutions.

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7.

United States Constitution was a federal one, and was influenced by the study of other federations, both ancient and extant.

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8.

Preamble to the United States Constitution serves as an introductory statement of the document's fundamental purposes and guiding principles.

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9.

Proposals to amend the United States Constitution must be properly adopted and ratified before they change the United States Constitution.

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10.

Presently, the Archivist of the United States is charged with responsibility for administering the ratification process under the provisions of 1U.

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11.

Once ratified by this minimum number of states, it was anticipated that the proposed Constitution would become this Constitution between the nine or more that signed.

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12.

Way the United States Constitution is understood is influenced by court decisions, especially those of the Supreme Court.

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13.

Supreme Court has indicated that once the United States Constitution has been extended to an area, its coverage is irrevocable.

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14.

Courts established by the United States Constitution can regulate government under the United States Constitution, the supreme law of the land.

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15.

The United States Constitution enumerates powers of the judiciary to extend to cases arising "under the United States Constitution".

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16.

Therefore, since the United States government as created by the Constitution is a limited government, the federal courts were required to choose the Constitution over congressional law if there were deemed to be a conflict.

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17.

United States Constitution's career encompassed service as a U S senator and Governor of Ohio.

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18.

Olmstead v United States allowed exclusion of evidence obtained without a warrant based on application of the 14th Amendment proscription against unreasonable searches.

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19.

United States Constitution's programs stressed progressive efficiency, expanding state education, re-integrating returning veterans, infrastructure and highway construction.

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20.

United States Constitution has been a notable model for governance around the world.

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21.

United States Constitution has faced various criticisms since its inception in 1787.

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22.

United States Constitution did not originally define who was eligible to vote, allowing each state to determine who was eligible.

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23.

Until the Reconstruction Amendments were adopted between 1865 and 1870, the five years immediately following the American Civil War, the United States Constitution did not abolish slavery, nor give citizenship and voting rights to former slaves.

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