United States Constitution
America's supreme law
The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States, establishing the framework of federal government and guaranteeing fundamental rights.
Ratified in 1788, it created three branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—with checks and balances among them.
The first ten amendments, the Bill of Rights, protect individual liberties.
The law was struck down as unconstitutional.
Constitutional questions involve whether actions align with its provisions.
- We the PeopleOpening of the Constitution
- founding documentEstablishing text of origin
- First AmendmentConstitutional free expression guarantee
- freedom of speechProtected right to speak
- Federalist PapersFounding-era persuasive essays
Fifth Amendment · James Madison · Fourteenth Amendment · Second Amendment · right to bear arms · Fourth Amendment · Bill of Rights · civil liberties · Declaration of Independence · Founding Fathers · Liberty · Justice · Supreme Court · Revolutionary War · Voting Rights Act · separation of powers · checks and balances · executive branch
United States Constitutionabsolute monarchy
Unrestricted single-ruler government
royal decree · divine right of kings · autocracy · dictatorship · tyranny
United States Constitutiontotalitarianism
State controls everything absolutely
collectivism · Communist Manifesto · authoritarianism · absolutism · Marxism-Leninism
united, uniting, unites, unions, unification, reunite, reunited, reunion, disunite