We the People of the United States, in Order to Form a More Perfect Union, Establish Justice

We The People of the United states, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this, Constitution for the United States of America.

Ratification: Entry Into The Union

 1 Delaware, Dec 7, 1787  18 Louisiana, April 30, 1812  35 West Virginia, June 20, 1863  2 Pennsylvania, Dec 12, 1787  19 Indiana, Dec 11, 1816  36 Nevada, Oct. 31, 1864  3 New Jersey, Dec 18, 1787  20 Mississippi, Dec 10, 1817  37 Nebraska, March 1, 1867  4 Georgia, Jan 2, 1788  21 Illinois, Dec 3, 1818  38 Colorado, Aug. 1, 1876  5 Connecticut, Jan 9, 1788  22 Alabama, Dec 14, 1819  39 North DAkota, Nov. 2, 1889  6 Massachusetts, Feb. 6, 1788  23 Maine, March 15, 1820  40 South Dakota, Nov. 2, 1889  7 Maryland, April 28, 1788  24 Missouri, Aug. 10, 1821  41 Montana, Nov. 8, 1889  8 South Carolina, May 23, 1788  25 Arkansas, June 15, 1836  42 Washington, Nov. 11, 1889  9 New Hampshire, June 21, 1788  26 Michigan, Jan 26, 1837  43 Idaho, July 3, 1890  10 Virginia, June 25, 1788  27 Florida, March 3, 1845  44 Wyoming, July 10, 1890  11 New York, July 26, 1788  28 Texas, Dec 29, 1845  45 Utah, Jan 4, 1896  12 North Carolina, Nov. 21, 1789  29 Iowa, Dec 28, 1846  46 Oklahoma, Nov. 16, 1907  13 Rhode Island, May 29, 1790  30 Wisconsin, May 29, 1848  47 New Mexico, Jan 6, 1912  14 Vermont, May 4, 1791  31 California, Sept. 9, 1850  48 Arizona, Feb. 14, 1912  15 Kentucky, June 1, 1792  32 Minnesota, May 11, 1858  49 Alaska, Jan 3, 1959  16 Tennessee, June 1, 1796  33 Oregon, Feb. 14, 1859  50 Hawaii, Aug. 21, 1959  17 Ohio, March 1, 1803  34 Kansas, Jan 29, 1861 CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENCE MATERIAL FOR STUDY For your information: These questions and answers were obtained from an educational manual published during the Bicentennial Celebration of the US Constitution, circa 1987. We assume they are correct. If there are any errors please email the corrected question or answer to us, and we will do our best to correct it as soon as we can. If you desire further educational material for study or teaching we highly recommend visiting the National Constitution Center of Philadelphia, PA webpage.

Q1: Who was the first person to suggest a "mixed government" or divided powers in government?

Q2: Why did Sir William Gladstone, the British Prime Minister say, "The Constitution was the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man?"

Q3: 90% of all nations in the U.N. have sustained a violent change in their government in the 20th century. Why do you think our Republic has lasted for over 200 years?

Q4: Who conceived the idea of a free market economy and wrote The Wealth of Nations, upon which our capitalistic system is based?

Q5: When the French scholar Alexis de Touqville came to America in 1831 to study why it was so successful, what statement did he make?

Q6: What country had the first Republic?

Q7: What country had the first Democracy?

Q8: Why is our Republican form of government so unique?

Q9: What is the Constitution of the United States of America ?

Q10: Which are the original 13 united states?

Q11: From what four Freedom Documents did our Constitution and Bill of Rights derive their philosophy?

Q12: Where did the final surrender of the British to the American troops take place, ending the Revolutionary war?

Q13: How long did the Revolutionary War last?

Q14: Who is the father of our country?

Q15: After the Revolutionary War ended in 1783, the 13 states formed the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation for 11 years. Why did the Articles of Confederation need to be changed? Q16: What meetings were called by the states to change the Articles of Confederation?

Q17: The delegates were instructed to change the Articles of Confederation at Independence Hall, Philadelphia but what happened?

Q18: Who kept the most complete record of the 1787 Constitutional Convention, and is known a the "Father of the Constitution"?

Q19: Who was the President of the 1787 Constitutional Convention?

Q20: Which state did not send delegates to the Constitutional Convention, and was the last of the 13 states to ratify the Constitution?

Q21: How many state had to ratify the Constitution before it could be put into effect?

Q22: Fifty five delegates attended the Constitutional Convention. How many of them actually signed the document?

Q23: Why did three delegates at the Constitutional Convention refuse to sign the Constitution?

Q24: To whom is Benjamin Franklin reputed to have said , “A Republic, if you can keep it," when asked what kind of government the Constitutional Convention approved?

Q25: Name the first state to ratify the Constitution?

Q26: Which state’s ratification provided the majority required to put the Constitution into effect?

Q27: When did the Constitutional Convention begin in Philadelphia?

Q28: Who is credited with writing the Preamble and final draft of the Constitution?

Q29: When was the Constitution signed?

Q30: What two cities became our capitols before Washington D.C. became our permanent capitol?

Q31: Who was President of the United States when the District of Columbia was selected as the nation’s capitol ?

Q32: Who was the first president to live in the White House in Washington D.C.? Q33: What is the title of the 85 essays written under the name "Publius," in New York, advocating the ratification of the Constitution?

Q34: What three authors contributed to "The Federalist" essays supporting ratification of the Constitution?

Q35: What are the three branches of government?

Q36: How old must a person be to become president of the United States?

Q37: On what day does a new President take office?

Q38: How long is the President’s term in office ?

Q39: How many days does a president have to either sign or return a bill before it becomes law?

Q40: Which Congressional body has the sole power of impeachment?

Q41: Which Congressional body has the sole power to try impeachments?

Q42: How many amendments are contained in the Bill of Rights?

Q43: How long a period elapsed between the time Congress introduced the Bill of Rights and the ratification by ¾ of the states?

Q44: Does a member of the House of Representative have to live in the state they represent?

Q45: Why can members of Congress not be questioned for anything they may say on the floor or in committee? ANSWERS

A1: Polybius, Historian of Greece (205-125 BC)

A2: He said this because the Constitution is the most nearly perfect governmental document ever conceived by man

A3: We have the most frequent and numerous elections in the world, and can change our Representatives through elections, making revolutions unnecessary.

A4: Adam Smith, 1723- 1790.

A5: America is great because America is good, but America will cease to be great when she ceases to be good.

A6: Rome.

A7: Greece.

A8: It is unique because the power of government is equally divided between the three branches, and the ultimate power is vested in the people.

A9: The supreme law of the land.

A10: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland , South Carolina, New Hampshire, New York, Virginia , North Carolina, and Rhode Island.

A11: Magna Carta, 1215; Petition of Rights, 1628; Writ of Habeas Corpus, 1679; and the English Bill of Rights, 1689.

A12: Yorktown, Virginia, in 1783.

A13: Eight years, from 1775 to 1783.

A14: George Washington.

A15: The articles needed to be changed because the central government was not strong enough to enforce laws.

A16: The first meeting at Annapolis in 1786 which did not have a quorum; The second was in Philadelphia in 1787.

A17: They wrote a new Constitution instead. A18: James Madison.

A19: George Washington.

A20: Rhode Island.

A21: Nine, about ¾ of the original states (Article 7).

A22: Thirty nine.

A23: They refused to sign because they wanted a Bill of Rights included.

A24: A lady on the street.

A25: Delaware (December 7, 1787).

A26: New Hampshire, the 9th state (June 21, 1788).

A27: May 25, 1787.

A28: Gouveneur Morris of Pennsylvania.

A29: September 17, 1787.

A30: New York, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A31: George Washington, who personally selected the site.

A32: President John Adams, the second president of the United States of America.

A33: The Federalist Papers.

A34: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.

A35: Executive, legislative, and judicial.

A36: 35 years old (Article 1, Section 1, Clause 5).

A37: January 20th (Amendment 20).

A38: 4 years (Article 1, Section 1, Clause 1).

A39: 10 days (Sundays excepted) (Article 1, Section 7, Clause 2).

A40: The House of Representatives (Article 1, Section 2, Clause 5). A41: The Senate (Article 1, Section 3, Clause 6).

A42: Ten.

A43: Two years and three months (September 25, 1789 to December 15, 1791).

A44: Yes.

A45: To ensure complete freedom.