Discover the Secrets: Top 10 Surprising and Entertaining Facts About the Constitution

1. The Original Dynamic Trio

Move over, Batman, Robin, and Alfred - it's time for the original dynamic trio: In a pre-social media era, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison teamed up under the pseudonym "Publius" to pen The Federalist Papers, a collection of 85 essays promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution. These enlightening reads were published in various New York state newspapers between October 1787 and May 1788, with bound editions and reprints popping up like trending hashtags in multiple states. Are you not entertained?
Source => guides.loc.gov

2. Madison's Sweaty Scribbles

Sweating like a scribe in a sauna with a purpose: James Madison braved the sweltering Philadelphia summer, diligently scribbling away every major speech at the Constitutional Convention, never missing a beat, and ultimately leaving us with a wealth of knowledge about the heated debates that went down.
Source => archives.gov

Did you know the Bill of Rights was inspired by ancient pens of freedom? Discover how the ink of liberty shaped these first ten amendments and granted us essential civil liberties! 🖋️✨

=> Fun Facts about The-Bill-Of-Rights

3. Delaware's Historic Punch

Whoever said size doesn't matter has obviously never been to Delaware! This tiny titan of a state packs a historic punch that'll make your wiggle in your britches: Delaware not only declared itself a separate government in 1776, but also became the first state to ratify the US Constitution on December 7, 1787 – setting an admirable precedent for the 12 other states in need of a unionized nudge.
Source => census.gov

4. Prohibition U-Turn

Liquor Swiper No Swiping: Back in 1933, a new rule came to town – the Twenty-first Amendment to the Constitution – which put a swift end to the "thou shalt not produce, sell, or transport the devil's elixir" party that was the Eighteenth Amendment. The serious reveal: Not only did this constitutional U-turn break apart the Prohibition Era, but it made history by getting ratified through state conventions instead of state legislatures and giving states the power to determine the fate of alcohol within their borders.
Source => reaganlibrary.gov

5. Green Mountain Goldilocks

Once upon a time, in a land of maple syrup and rocking chairs, an independent republic decided to play "Green Mountain Goldilocks": Vermont, the little-known 14-year-old sovereign entity, had initially sought refuge in the warm embrace of French-speaking Quebec, but finally landed just right in the snuggly bosom of Uncle Sam: On March 4, 1791, Vermont entered the United States as the 14th state, where it continued to charm and bemuse with its own constitution and laws, even as it nestled securely within the Union.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Constitution's Silk and Glue Makeover

Hold on to your parchment, patriots: when the U.S. Constitution faced a fiery foe in 1984, it emerged victorious with the help of silk and glue, carefully mending its battle scars for posterity! The restored document now stands proud in the National Archives Rotunda in Washington D.C., a shining symbol of American resilience.
Source => senate.gov

7. Preamble Perfection

Whoever said "too many cooks spoil the broth" obviously wasn't talking about the Constitution's preamble: The opening phrase "We the People" was polished to perfection by the Committee of Style, led by Gouverneur Morris, and endured minimal debate at the Convention before putting the cherry on top of this historical document.
Source => constitution.congress.gov

8. The Amendment Approval Process

Hold onto your powdered wigs, constitutional convention enthusiasts: Despite the potential for a convention called by two-thirds of State legislatures, did you know that all 27 amendments to the US Constitution were actually proposed by a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate, thus skipping the constitutional convention route entirely? And once three-fourths of the States (that's 38 of those 50 stars on the flag!) approve, the Archivist sticks their quill pen on it and certifies the amendment's permanent role in shaping our nation.
Source => archives.gov

9. Prayer Proposal Denied

Holy moly, no hocus pocus in this congress! Swapping incantations for declarations, our founding fathers declared a divine intervention deficit: Benjamin Franklin's proposal to start the Constitutional Convention sessions with a prayer was flat-out rejected, since they couldn't spare the dough to hire a chaplain.
Source => constitutionfacts.com

10. The Bill of Rights Bargain

Feeling amendymentally unstable: Here's a constitutional chuckle - the first 10 amendments, or the Bill of Rights, played a vital role in getting the great ol' Constitution ratified! These rights-craving founding fathers had to make a pinky promise to include them to appease those fretting over individual freedoms. And voila! It worked like a charm, with the Bill of Rights ratifying on December 15, 1791, just a tad later than the Constitution. To this day, they stand guard over our beloved liberties like faithful pets, ensuring our freedom of speech and religion remains intact!
Source => census.gov