Department of Political Science: The United States Constitution

Welcome to the United States Constitution website provided by the Department of Political Science at the University of Central Arkansas! The website is intended to commemorate "Constitution Day", which is celebrated each year on the 17th of September. The "founding fathers" signed the draft Constitution of the U.S. at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 17, 1787.

The Constitution, which was formally ratified by the states in June 1788, represents the legal foundation of the government and political system of the U.S. The Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation, which was the first "constitution" of the United States of America from 1781 to 1788. During the debate regarding ratification of the proposed U.S. Constitution in 1787 and 1788, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote a series of essays in favor of ratification. These essays are known as the Federalist Papers. One of the objections of those who opposed ratification, known as "anti-federalists", was the lack of protections of individual civil liberties in the U.S. Constitution. Supporters of ratification, known as "federalists", agreed to support the inclusion of a "bill of rights". The Bill of Rights, representing the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, was ratified in 1791. The Bill of Rights contains many of the basic civil liberties of American citizens, including the freedoms of speech and religion. Seventeen additional amendments were ratified during the subsequent 200 years, including amendments abolishing slavery and granting the right to vote to women. Today, the U.S. Constitution remains the fundamental law that defines the powers and structure of the national government and the basic freedoms and rights of American citizens.

The purpose of this website is to provide students and others with a basic understanding of the historical roots, basic principles, and contemporary controversies involving provisions of the U.S. Constitution. The links provided below will allow readers to examine the original text of the U.S. Constitution and to learn more about the origins and basic principles of the document. In addition, readers will learn about contemporary debates and controversies involving several of the provisions of the U.S. Constitution.