United States Constitution and Amendments

The Constitution serves as the foundational blueprint of government and represents the highest law of the United States. It was officially adopted by delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 17, 1787. The first ten amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791, while amendments 11 through 27 were adopted individually over the course of nearly two centuries, from 1795 to 1992. (Summary by Laurie Anne Walden)