17 Facts About US Constitution

1.

Since the US Constitution came into force in 1789, it has been amended 27 times, including one amendment that repealed a previous one, in order to meet the needs of a nation that has profoundly changed since the 18th century.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

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

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4.

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

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5.

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

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6.

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

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7.

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

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8.

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

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9.

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

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10.

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

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11.

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

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12.

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

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13.

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

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14.

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

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15.

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

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16.

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

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17.

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

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