ABSTRACT
This chapter examines what a constitution is, and provides a basic primer on the political history of the United States Constitution and the basic goals and purposes of democratic politics that it articulates. A constitution is the basic framework of government that defines the nature and conduct of public authority. The Declaration of Independence lays the foundation of American constitutional theory. Technically, a committee established by the Second Continental Congress wrote it, though its primary author was Thomas Jefferson. The Articles of Confederation served as the first constitution of the United States. The national government also lacked the power to levy taxes, so it had no control over its revenues. State constitutions and the Articles of Confederation clearly went to some lengths to uphold at least some of the core principles of democracy. The United States in the 1780s faced a period of major adjustment following its successful revolt against Great Britain.
