How old is the Constitution?

As of September 17, 2014, the United States Constitution is 227 years old. The Constitution was signed by 39 delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787. Government under the Constitution officially began on March 4, 1789.

The U.S. Constitution establishes the organization and law of the United States and ensures that its citizens have certain basic rights. The delegates created three branches of government: legislative, judicial and executive. The first 10 amendments, called the Bill of Rights, established certain rights, such as freedom of religion and freedom of speech. As of 2014, 17 additional amendments have been added to the Constitution.