The U.S. Constitution was signed in 1787, a milestone in America250's national story.
Delegates signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787, at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, the building now known as Independence Hall. The convention had met to address weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation, the first national framework adopted by the United States.
The Constitution created a federal system with separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches. It also established procedures for ratification and for later amendments. The document did not take effect immediately on the signing date; it became operative after the required states ratified it, with the new government beginning in 1789.
The Constitution is often paired with the Declaration of Independence, but they serve different functions. The Declaration announced separation from Britain in 1776, while the Constitution organized the government of the United States. The Bill of Rights became the first ten amendments in 1791.