2. WRITTEN CONSTITUTIONS Under the Federal system it is substantially necessary to have a written document defining the organization of the Central Gov ernment, and determining the respective powers of the States and the Central Government. It was natural, therefore, that Articles of Confederation should be framed for the creation of the first Union of the American States, and that, when improvement was needed, these Articles should be replaced by the National Consti tution of 1787.
There was no similar legal necessity that written constitutions be framed for the Government of the American States. Yet the colonies were accustomed to written instruments of Government. Certain of them operated under Royal Charters. Massachusetts largely remained under its Charter Government until 178o, Con necticut until 1818 and Rhode Island until 1842. In other colonies the royal commissions to governors gave some written basis for government. Moreover, the leaders in the colonies were familiar
with and largely adherents of the theory that government is a result of social compact, and theories of natural rights were strong.
It was therefore natural that, upon separation from England, the several colonies should embody in written form a declaration of their rights and the general organization of their governments. Before the framing of the National Constitution in 1787, con stitutions had been framed and adopted by all the original thirteen States except Connecticut and Rhode Island. The framers of the National Constitution therefore had before them the texts of State Constitutions and were familiar with the experience under these Constitutions. Each State is now governed by a written Constitu tion.