Constitution Day 9/17

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September 17 is Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (Constitution Day). This day commemorates the September 17, 1787, signing of the United States Constitution. Written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789, the United States Constitution is the world's longest surviving written charter of government. Its first three words –– "We the People" –– affirm that the government of the United States exists to serve its citizens. For over two centuries the Constitution has remained in force because its framers wisely separated and balanced governmental powers to safeguard the interests of majority rule and minority rights, of liberty and equality, and of the federal and state governments. Since 1789, the Constitution has evolved through amendments to meet the changing needs of a nation now profoundly different from the eighteenth-century world in which its creators lived.

To encourage all Americans to learn more about the Constitution, Congress established Constitution Week in 1956, to begin each year on September 17th, the date in 1787 when delegates to the Convention signed the Constitution. In 2004, Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia included key provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of Fiscal Year 2005 designating September 17th of each year as Constitution Day and requiring public schools and governmental offices to provide educational programs to promote a better understanding of the Constitution.

The purpose of this webpage is to provide you with additional information and resources on the Constitution and what it means to you.

 

The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence

 

The Constitution

The Constitution of the United States

The Constitution of the United States en Espanol

The Founding Fathers

Take the Constitution IQ Quiz

Constitution Facts, Real or Fake?

Famous Quotes about the Constitution

Constitution FAQ's

Constitutions Around the World

 

The Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights

Bill of Rights Game

 

Our Government

The 3 Branches

 

The Executive Branch

The Executive Branch

The White House

 

The Legislative Branch

The Legislative Branch

The House of Representatives

The United States Senate

 

The Judicial Branch

The Judicial Branch

Supreme Court of the United States

 

Voting-Your Civic Duty

Learn about Elections & Voting

Rock the Vote