The U.S. Constitution

This Day in History: September 17, 1787

Howard Chandler Christy's Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States

Photo Credit: en.wikipedia.org

U.S. Constitution signed. . .

The signing of the Constitution of the United States took place barely a decade after the Revolutionary War. Not all attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia were in favor of such a document. Many were suspicious of making the federal government stronger and as a result, it did indeed meet opposition.

The U.S. Constitution contains about 4,400 words and is the oldest and the shortest written constitution of any representative government in the world. The original document consisted of four pages and is laced with fascinating facts.

James Madison 1751-1836

Do you know who is known as the "Father of the Constitution?" If you named George Washington, you missed the mark. James Madison first wrote the constitution for his state of Virginia and was dubbed the nickname at the age of 36. However, President George Washington submitted a list of 12 amendments to Congress in October 1789. They, too, were written by James Madison. Two of these were eliminated, but in 1791 the other ten were added as the Bill of Rights.

How knowledgeable are you on the U. S. Constitution? Check your understanding!

Did you know? 10 Things You Didn't Know About the U.S. Constitution

Test Your Knowledge: Trivia Quiz - US Constitution

More Testing: How much do you know about the US Constitution? A quiz.

This infographic was created in 2010.