The U.S. Constitution established America’s national government and fundamental laws, and guaranteed certain basic rights for its citizens. It was signed on September 17, 1787, by delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, presided over by George Washington. Under America’s first governing document, the Articles of Confederation, the national government was weak and states operated like independent countries. At the 1787 convention, delegates devised a plan for a stronger federal government with three branches–executive, legislative and judicial–along with a system of checks and balances to ensure no single branch would have too much power. The Bill of Rights–10 amendments guaranteeing basic individual protections such as freedom of speech and religion–became part of the Constitution in 1791. To date, there have been a total of 27 constitutional amendments.
The US vs Dakota war in 1862 was an armed conflict between the United States and many bands of Dakota (known as Sioux Indians) .
The violation of some treaty by the US caused an increased of Dokota's hunger and a war of four years.
During war the Dakotas made attacks wich resulted in several settlers and immigrant deaths. The US goverment with the desire of revenge, captured hundreds of Dakota men an families, then, with military tribunal quickly tried the men, sentencing 303 to death for their crimes. President Lincoln would later commute the sentence of 264 of them. The mass hanging of 38 Dakota men was in Minnesota; it was the largest mass execution in United States history.
