Quiz of the Day
Constitutions & Founding Documents
Thursday, 17 September 2026
The US Constitution was signed on 17 Sep 1787 — exploring landmark constitutions, charters and documents that shaped nations
1. In which city was the US Constitution signed on September 17, 1787?
- Boston
- Washington, D.C.
- Philadelphia
- New York
The Constitution was signed at the Pennsylvania State House — now called Independence Hall — in Philadelphia, the same building where the Declaration of Independence had been adopted in 1776. Thirty-nine of the fifty-five delegates signed the final document. September 17 is now marked in the United States as Constitution Day.
2. The first ten amendments to the US Constitution are collectively known as what?
- The Bill of Rights
- The Federalist Papers
- The Articles of Confederation
- The Emancipation Proclamation
The Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791 to guarantee individual liberties such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. James Madison drafted the amendments partly to satisfy states that had been reluctant to ratify the Constitution without such protections. It was originally proposed as twelve amendments, but only ten were ratified at the time.
3. Magna Carta was sealed under which English king in 1215?
- King John
- Richard I
- Edward I
- Henry II
King John agreed to Magna Carta at Runnymede, near the River Thames, under pressure from rebellious barons. The charter established the principle that even the monarch was subject to the law. Though John quickly sought to annul it, later reissues made it a foundational document of constitutional government.
4. Which famous document opens with the words 'We the People'?
- The Articles of Confederation
- The Declaration of Independence
- Magna Carta
- The US Constitution
The Preamble to the US Constitution begins 'We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union...' The phrase emphasized that authority flowed from the citizens rather than the states or a monarch. It was penned largely by Gouverneur Morris, who served on the Committee of Style.
5. Which country has the world's longest written national constitution?
- Brazil
- India
- United States
- South Africa
India's constitution, which came into effect in 1950, contains roughly 145,000 words in its English-language version, making it the longest of any sovereign nation. It was largely drafted under the guidance of B. R. Ambedkar, chairman of the drafting committee. The original document was handwritten and calligraphed rather than printed.
6. The landmark 1789 French revolutionary text was the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the what?
- People
- Republic
- Nation
- Citizen
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was adopted by France's National Constituent Assembly in August 1789. It proclaimed that men are born free and equal in rights, influencing later human-rights documents worldwide. Its ideas drew on Enlightenment thinkers such as Rousseau and on the earlier American declarations.
7. The Constitution of 3 May 1791, considered Europe's first codified national constitution, was adopted by which country?
- Russia
- France
- Poland
- Prussia
The May 3rd Constitution was adopted by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and is often called the first codified national constitution in Europe and the second in the world, after the United States. It sought to reform a weak, decentralized state but was short-lived, as neighboring powers soon partitioned Poland. May 3 remains a national holiday in Poland today.
8. Besides Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, who was the third author of the Federalist Papers?
- Benjamin Franklin
- Thomas Jefferson
- George Washington
- John Jay
The Federalist Papers were a series of 85 essays written to persuade New York to ratify the Constitution. John Jay, who later became the first Chief Justice of the United States, contributed five of them before illness limited his involvement. The essays were originally published under the shared pseudonym 'Publius.'
9. How many articles did the original US Constitution contain?
- Twenty-seven
- Ten
- Twelve
- Seven
The original Constitution was organized into seven articles, covering the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, the states, amendments, federal power, and ratification. It is one of the shortest national constitutions still in force. Since then, 27 amendments have been added, the most recent ratified in 1992.
10. Who is often called the 'Father of the Constitution' for his central role at the 1787 convention?
- John Adams
- James Madison
- Thomas Jefferson
- George Washington
James Madison earned the nickname for drafting the Virginia Plan and keeping detailed notes of the Constitutional Convention's debates. His records remain the most complete account of the proceedings, which were held in secret. Madison later became the fourth President of the United States.
11. Japan's post-World War II constitution, effective in 1947, is famous for Article 9, which renounces what?
- War
- Monarchy
- Private property
- Religion
Article 9 of Japan's constitution states that the nation forever renounces war as a sovereign right and the threat or use of force to settle disputes. Drafted during the postwar Allied occupation, it earned the document the nickname the 'Peace Constitution.' It remains one of the most debated clauses in Japanese politics.
12. Which 1620 document is regarded as an early framework of self-government in colonial America?
- The Declaration of Independence
- The Articles of Confederation
- The Mayflower Compact
- The Bill of Rights
The Mayflower Compact was signed aboard the ship Mayflower by Pilgrims before landing at Plymouth. It bound the settlers to form a 'civil body politic' and to abide by laws made for the general good. Though brief, it is seen as a foundational step toward representative government in America.
13. South Africa's 1996 constitution was the first in the world to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on what?
- Height
- Left-wing politics
- Sexual orientation
- Handedness
South Africa's post-apartheid constitution was the first nationally to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in its equality clause. Adopted in 1996 under President Nelson Mandela, it is often praised as one of the most progressive constitutions in the world. This provision later underpinned the country's legalization of same-sex marriage in 2006.
14. In what year did the United Nations adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
- 1945
- 1955
- 1919
- 1948
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the UN General Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948. Eleanor Roosevelt chaired the drafting committee and championed the document. Though not legally binding itself, it has inspired numerous national constitutions and international treaties.
15. The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government that notably lacked the power to do what?
- Send envoys
- Levy taxes
- Name a Congress
- Wage war
Under the Articles of Confederation, the national government could not directly tax citizens and had to request funds from the states, which often refused. This financial weakness was a key reason delegates gathered in 1787 to replace the Articles with the Constitution. The new document gave Congress the power to lay and collect taxes.