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U.S. Constitution

The U.S. Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, created America’s federal government, established fundamental laws and legal structures while guaranteeing certain basic rights for American citizens.

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HISTORY: First Amendment of the US Constitution

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All Amendments to the US Constitution

Since the Constitution was ratified in 1789, hundreds of thousands of bills have been introduced attempting to amend the nation’s founding document. But only 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution have been ratified.

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HISTORY: First Amendment of the US Constitution

First Amendment

Bill of Rights During the summer of 1787, a group of politicians, including James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, gathered in Philadelphia to draft a new U.S. Constitution. Antifederalists, led by the first governor of Virginia, Patrick Henry, opposed the ratification of the Constitution. They felt the new constitution gave the federal government too much power […]

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The 26th Amendment

The 26th Amendment: “Old Enough to Fight, Old Enough to Vote” During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt lowered the minimum age for the military draft age to 18, at a time when the minimum voting age (as determined by the individual states) had historically been 21. “Old enough to fight, old enough to […]

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The first uncensored newspaper after the revolutio AUSTRIA - JANUARY 01: The first uncensored newspaper is sold in the streets of vienna after the revoltion of 1848. Watercolour by Johann Nepomuk Hoefel. (Photo by Imagno/Getty Images) [Die erste unzensierte Zeitung wird in den Strassen Wiens nach der Revolution von 1848 verkauft. Aquarell von Johann Nepomuk Hoefel.]

Freedom of the Press

Origins Of Free Press Before the thirteen colonies declared independence from Great Britain, the British government attempted to censor the American media by prohibiting newspapers from publishing unfavorable information and opinions. One of the first court cases involving freedom of the press in America took place in 1734. British governor William Cosby brought a libel […]

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History Shorts: Who Wrote the U.S. Constitution?

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3:23 minTV-PG
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Marbury v. Madison

What happened in the 1803 United States court case between William Marbury and James Madison? What affect did it have on the young nation?

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HISTORY: The Bill of Rights
3:09 minTV-PG

Freedom of Speech

What is free speech? How does the freedom of speech factor in to the U.S. Constitution? What are limitations and protections of free speech in the U.S.?

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2:40 minTV-PG

Freedom of Religion in the U.S.

What is the history of the freedom of religion as outlined in the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution? How is this freedom enforced? How does religious policy manifest in the real world?

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1:00 minTV-PG

This Day in History Video: What Happened on July 28

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How the U.S. Constitution Has Changed and Expanded Since 1787

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How the US Constitution Has Changed and Expanded Since 1787

Through amendments and legal rulings, the Constitution has transformed in some critical ways.

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The Five Nation Confederacy. Engraving from Pere Joseph Francois Lafitau, "Moeurs des sauvages ameriquains." Paris, 1724.

The Native American Government That Helped Inspire the US Constitution

The constitutional framers may have viewed Indigenous people of the Iroquois Confederacy as inferior, but that didn’t stop them from admiring their federalist principles.

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Jim Obergefell was married to his husband John Arthur on a medical jet in Maryland shortly before Arthur died of ALS. Obergefell holds his wedding band that has been fused together with Arthur's ashes and wedding ring. (Credit: Maddie McGarvey/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

5 Historic Supreme Court Rulings Based on the 14th Amendment

The 14th Amendment’s guarantee to “due process” provided a basis for these five Supreme Court rulings that have impacted Americans’ lives.

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The Bill of Rights

8 Things You Should Know About the Bill of Rights

The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, became law on December 15, 1791.

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This Day in History

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This Day in History Video: What Happened on July 28

U.S. Constitution
1787

First draft of Constitution debated

U.S. Constitution
1789

Bill of Rights passes Congress

U.S. Constitution
1787

U.S. Constitution signed

U.S. Constitution
1919

Congress passes the 19th Amendment, paving the way for women to vote

U.S. Constitution
1791

Bill of Rights is finally ratified

U.S. Constitution
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