After the war, the new country needed a plan for its government. In 1787, leaders met in Philadelphia and wrote the Constitution.
Key idea
The Constitution is our country's rulebook. It says how the government works and what it may and may not do. It begins with the words "We the People."
Why it works
A team needs rules everyone agrees on. So does a country. George Washington led the meeting, and James Madison shared many of the ideas. They signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787. Later, people added changes called amendments. The first ten, the Bill of Rights, protect freedoms like speaking and worshiping freely. The Constitution still guides the country today.
Common mistake
The Declaration and the Constitution are easy to mix up. The Declaration (1776) said we would be free. The Constitution (1787) set up how our government works.
For the grown-up: Constitution Day is September 17. Thirty-nine delegates signed the Constitution, and it now has 27 amendments. Read the Preamble aloud together and talk about one goal in it, such as "establish Justice."