United States |
Germany |
| U.S. Constitution of 1787, 221 years old |
Germany Basic Law dates from 1949, 59 years old.
Other German constitutions date from 1871 German Empire
|
| Founding Fathers: 39 |
Founding Fathers and Mothers: 61 Men, 4 Women |
| Quite short, only 7 Articles |
Basic Law is lengthy: 141 Articles |
| |
Reunification in 1990 required Preamble change |
| 27 amendments in 221 years |
More than 50 amendments in 59 years |
| One currency, one flag, one national anthem |
Numerous currencies, last: Euro replaced DM in 2001; flags, anthem
also changed |
| Today: 2 international borders plus Hawaii, Alaska |
Today: 9 international borders (Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic,
Austria, Switzerland, Franc, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands) |
| About 304 million |
About 82 million |
| 50 states |
16 states (Bavaria is the largest, Bremen is the smallest |
| World's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada |
Territory the size of Montana |
| Old state - 221 years old |
Young state - 59 years young |
| Constitution written after successful revolution, war of independence |
Basic Law written after total defeat, leaving a morally and physically
destroyed country and society to reestablish itself under watchful
guidance of victorious allies (USA, U.K., France). East Germany also
established a constitution under Soviet guidance. On its 40th anniversary,
the regime collapsed. |