The Constitution is 4,543 words long, including the signatures, and is printed on four pages measuring 28-3/4 inches by 23-5/8 inches each. It is 7,591 words long, including the 27 modifications. Beginning in December 1787, specially elected conventions approved the Constitution. The final version of the document was ratified by the states on September 17, 1788. In total, there are about 1 million words in the United States Constitution. English is an inflexible language, so it can be difficult to express ideas that involve complex relationships between many variables. Thus, some things cannot be done directly in writing but must be left up to the discretion of those charged with executing or implementing laws or policies. For example, a president could not specify every detail of how a government agency should operate because this is beyond the scope of what one person can accomplish. However, they could give general instructions on how to run the agency within the limits of what it is permitted to do. A constitution is a fundamental law created by a constitutional authority that defines the powers and duties of its members and other officials and establishes a framework for the organization of government. The term "constitution" comes from the fact that these documents were originally written on parchment (or skin) and sealed with red wax that contained a little bit of coal oil.