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Fun Facts and Resources

What is the United States Constitution?
The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America and lays out the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States. The Constitution was drafted in fewer than one hundred working days.

  • The U.S. Constitution has 4,400 words. It is the oldest and shortest written Constitution of any major government in the world.
  • Of the spelling errors in the Constitution, “Pensylvania” above the signers’ names is probably the most glaring.
  • Thomas Jefferson did not sign the Constitution. He was in France during the Convention, where he served as the U.S. minister. John Adams was serving as the U.S. minister to Great Britain during the Constitutional Convention and did not attend either.
  • Since 1952, the Constitution has been on display in the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. Currently, all four pages are displayed behind protective glass framed with titanium. To preserve the parchment’s quality, the cases contain argon gas and are kept at 67 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 40 percent.
  • Because of his poor health, Benjamin Franklin needed help to sign the Constitution. As he did so, tears streamed down his face.
  • The oldest person to sign the Constitution was Benjamin Franklin (81). The youngest was Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey (26).
  • Of the forty-two delegates who attended most of the meetings, thirty-nine actually signed the Constitution. Edmund Randolph and George Mason of Virginia and Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts refused to sign due in part due to the lack of a bill of rights.
  • The first time the formal term “The United States of America” was used was in the Declaration of Independence.
  • The Constitution establish a republic not a democracy. In fact, the word "democracy" does not appear once in the Constitution.
  • From 1804 to 1865 there were no amendments added to the Constitution until the end of the Civil War when the Thirteenth amendment was added that abolished slavery. This was the longest period in American history in which there were no changes.
  • As evidence of its continued flexibility, the Constitution has been changed seventeen times since 1791.

Additional Resources Concerning The United States Constitution, Elections and Voting

Download your own personal Pocket Constitution App for your iPhone from the National Constitution Center.