While most Americans, and even people who don’t live in America, know about the US Constitution, very few people actually have a real grasp on what the Constitution is, how it came about, and how this document has impacted the world in the past and into the future. But with a little more understanding, you can learn just why the US Constitution is such a big deal and why it’s something worth learning about.

To help you see this, here are three things that everyone should know about the US Constitution. 

The US Constitution Is The Oldest Constitution In The World Still In Use

While America isn’t the oldest nation in the world, the US Constitution is the oldest document of this kind in the world that’s still in use to this day. 

While there were all kinds of other forms of government before the writing of the US Constitution, none of them allowed for people to choose their own form of government and have lasted for as long as the US Constitution has with this freedom. And although the US Constitution has been added to over time with amendments, the basis of the Constitution has remained the same since it was first drafted in 1787. 

Why The Constitution Is Important

The US Constitution is one of the most important documents in the world. This isn’t just because it’s old, but it’s also because of what the document says and the impact that it’s had over the lives of billions of people in the US as well as throughout the world. There have been many other countries who have used the US Constitution as a framework for their own country’s constitutions. 

In the US Constitution, the freedom of the American people is laid out. This vision of freedom for the American people is very simple yet very powerful. And while there’s room for some interpretation, there are certain unalienable rights that are clearly stated to protect the American people and the freedom they have. 

What Your Constitutional Rights Are

Arguably the most important parts of the US Constitution are the parts that state what the Constitutional Rights are for the American people, called the Bill of Rights. 

Within the Constitution, the rights to freedom of religion, speech, assembly, and the press are outlined. We also get the right to keep and bear arms, to not have to house soldiers in our homes, and to avoid unreasonable search and seizure. We don’t have to testify against ourselves and we can’t be tried for the same crime twice. We can have a speedy trial by a jury of our peers and the help of a lawyer. We can’t be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment or have excessive fines. And later on, with other amendments, the American people are given even more rights.

If you didn’t know much about the Constitution beforehand, hopefully this small amount of information has encouraged you to learn more about this all-important document. It’s an integral part of our history and heritage.