Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

Get access

Constitution of the United States
(1,981 words)

1. Significance and historical background

The Constitution of the United States of America was signed in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787. After it was ratified by the states, it entered into force on March 4, 1789, and thus is the oldest national constitution still in force today. The Constitution created a Republic with a presidential system on the basis of the sovereignty …

Cite this page
Keil, Hartmut, “Constitution of the United States”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 01 October 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_024829>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20170206



▲   Back to top   ▲