Also, the thirteen States had Constitutions before the United States. In fact, Massachusetts has the oldest active constitution in America. These constitutions explain their independence and rights. The U.S. Constitution explains that new States are equal in sovereignty to all the original ratifying States, this all means that the supreme power resides with the States, not the Constitution. The States, sovereign, and independent created the Constitution to regulate the Union. The Constitution does not regulate itself, that power belongs to the people of the States.