U.S. Constitution Fact Sheet

1787
1791
Constitutional
Convention
Bill of Rights added
to Constitution
1867
Alaska Purchase
1788
1790
1865
1868
Nine states ratify
Constitution
Supreme Court
assembled
13th Amendment
abolishes slavery
Rights given to all
naturalized citizens
Did You Know...
•T
he Constitutional Convention took place in Philadelphia
from May to September of 1787.
• The Constitution is four large pages long.
• Thirty-nine delegates signed the Constitution.
Photo: © Visions of America/Joe Sohm/Digital Vision/Getty Images.
1951
•J
ames Madison, who went on to become the fourth
president of the United States, helped write the Constitution.
•T
he Constitution is the oldest written constitution and also
the shortest written constitution in the world.
•E
xcluding the amendments, the Constitution is made up
of only 4,400 words.
• “Pennsylvania” is spelled differently on the original
document than it is today.
•F
our of the delegates who signed the Constitution were
born in Ireland.
Online Resources
• www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm
• www.constitutioncenter.org/
• http://founders-blog.blogspot.com/
1979
22nd Amendment limits
the president to two terms
Department of
Education created
1959
Hawaii Admission Act makes
Hawaii the 50th U.S. state
lossary
G
n
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t
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it
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The U.S.
, or modification
on
deletion, additi
Amendment: A
ion
to the Constitut
member
appointed as a
or
d
te
ec
el
on
rs
Delegate: A pe
tive assembly
ta
en
es
pr
of a re
h which a U.S.
Process throug
:
ge
ficials
le
ol
C
l
ra
Electo
e elected per of
ar
t
en
id
es
pr
vice
president and
e
s” in each stat
or
ct
le
called “e
ly sanction
ove and formal
Ratify: To appr
ght to vote
Suffrage: The ri
branch of a
department or
e
on
of
er
w
po
carrying out
Veto: A
or prohibit the
id
rb
fo
to
t
en
ment
governm
another depart
by
ed
pt
m
te
at
of projects
• www.archives.gov
• www.landmarkcases.org
• www.ourdocuments.gov