The Constitution (2/10)

Written in Philadelphia after the Articles of Confederation proved too weak to govern a growing republic, the Constitution created a durable national framework built around separation of powers (legislative, executive, judicial) and a system of checks and balances intended to prevent tyranny by any branch. It strengthened federal authority while preserving state powers, establishing mechanisms for taxation, national defense, interstate commerce, and an executive capable of enforcing law. Crucially, it introduced an amendment process—allowing evolution without rupture.
This card represents the engineering of American power: not through force, but through structure.