Department Of The Homeland Security
BY: RODNEY TURNER
- The federal government of the united states was created by the constitution which went into operation in 1789 when the first congress convened and George Washington took the oath of office as president. The government is called federal because it was formed by a compact (the constitution) among 13 political units (The States). These states agreed to give up part of their independence or sovereignty in order to form a central authority and submit themselves to it. Thus, what was essentially a group of 13 separate countries under the articles of confederation united to form 1 nation under the constitution. When the Declaration of Independence was issued in 1776 it used the term United States of America. until the constitution was adopted and ratified, however, the 13 states did not really formed one nation.