How do you spell the basic government laws?

The correct spelling of the word for the basic laws of government is Constitution: c-o-n-s-t-i-t-u-t-i-o-n, with two t's separated by a u in the middle and the ending -ution (not -ation). The word is capitalized when referring specifically to the Constitution of the United States and lowercase in generic uses (a country's constitution, the constitution of an organization). The word comes from the Latin constitutio, from the verb constituere (to set up or establish).

The most common spelling errors are using one t in the middle (Constituttion), substituting the ending (Constitusion or Constitusion), or missing a vowel (Consttution). One memory aid: con-STI-TU-tion, with two -tu- syllables back to back. On the USCIS writing test sentences containing Constitution are common, including "The Constitution is the supreme law of the land," "What is the Constitution?" and "Citizens follow the Constitution."

The Constitution of the United States, drafted in Philadelphia in 1787, ratified in 1788, and effective March 4, 1789, is the supreme law of the land under Article VI's Supremacy Clause. It has a Preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. Article I creates Congress, Article II creates the presidency, Article III creates the federal judiciary, Article IV governs interstate relations, Article V provides the amendment process, Article VI declares supremacy, and Article VII set out ratification.

The civics test asks numerous questions about the Constitution, including the supreme law of the land, the three branches it creates, and the rights it protects. Constitution Day is observed each year on September 17, the date the document was signed in Philadelphia in 1787 by 39 of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention.