History Made Every Day™

Question

What is the supreme law of the land?

Answer

The Constitution

This image shows the first page of the United States Constitution. The Constitution of the United States is considered the "supreme law of the land." This document was written and completed after the success of the American Revolution against Great Britain. The leaders of the new nation faced the difficult task of designing a blueprint for the new government after the Treaty of Paris was signed in September of 1783. Before the Constitution was signed in 1787, a loose set of regulations known as the Articles of Confederation had served as the governing rules of this political body. It quickly became clear to the leaders of the United States that the new nation needed a more firm legal and political framework. During the summer of 1787, key delegates gathered in Philadelphia to craft this document, debating for many months in the steamy summer heat about how to this new republic should be organized. The work of many minds, the Constitution stands as a model of cooperative statesmanship and the art of compromise.

For more history and background on the Constitution's creation, read A More Perfect Union: The Creation of the U.S. Constitution at the National Archives' new Charters of Freedom site.