Celebrate the Constitution

Two hundred and fifteen years ago this week, our country witnessed a major event in its history. On September 17, 1787, the U.S. Constitution was signed by members of the Constitutional Committee. People are probably more familiar with the signing of the Declaration of Independence that we celebrate on July 4th. Furthermore, the Constitution's introductory phrase, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union....," is well-known, but people may confuse it as being part of the Declaration document. There is a huge difference between the two, however. While the Declaration of Independence cut our colonial ties to the British kingdom, the Constitution was necessary to establish guiding principles as to how we would govern ourselves. Without some sort of adequate law system, our nation's people would suffer chaos or perhaps a worse tyranny than British rule.

In celebration of Constitution Day this week, you'll learn about what the Constitution states, how and why it was created, who signed it, and why it's a significant building block of this country's foundation.

Charting Our Democracy

For this week's lesson, you'll spend your time in the virtual exhibit halls called The Charters of Freedom, hosted by the National Archives and Records Administration. Begin by going into The Constitution hall. As you read the first paragraph, start thinking about the questions these statesmen had to answer: How much power do we allow the central government? How many representatives in Congress do we allow each state? How should these representatives be elected?

Move on to the transcription page and read the document that the committee members agreed upon. Why do you think the preamble, the introductory paragraph that starts with "We the People," was important to present at the beginning of the document? Why are the things listed important to a nation's people?

Continue reading through the document's Articles and their Sections, making a list of each part's key points. How do each of these points create a specific structure for government? For example: What are some of the restrictions they place on eligibility for someone becoming President or a state Senator? What powers does it give the Vice President? How does it say that state representatives for Congress will be elected? How will the Senate and House of Representatives create and pass laws for the nation? What other types of authority do they have?

As you read, you may wish to click on some of the underlined sentences for more information about that key point. This will jump you to the related Constitutional Amendment. These Amendments were created later as refinements to the founding principles. Basically, as the original guidelines were implemented, the statesmen found they needed more detailed descriptions as to how they should be carried out.

Think about how the Constitution's statements relate to our government today. How and how often are Senators and House Representatives in your state elected? Do their ages and citizenship fit the criteria? What kinds of laws have they voted on and why? Did his or her vote seem to be in the best interest of the majority of their state's people?

The Constitutional Committee

Now that you've gotten familiar with what the Constitution says, how do you think the committee discussed and decided upon all of these specific guidelines? How easy is it for your group of friends, your classmates, the members of your household, etc. to agree on certain rules or decisions?

Well, it was just as hard, and probably harder, for 55 men from the original states with different backgrounds and interests to agree on the content of the Constitution.

To get a sense of what it was like, read the narrative history A More Perfect Union: The Creation of the U.S. Constitution. How did George Washington fit into the picture? Why was he chosen as the committee's leader, and what were some of the challenges he faced? What role did James Madison play in the new government's development? What were the Articles of Confederacy and why were they apparently "inadequate" for governing the independent states? What were the three plans proposed by convention delegates, and how did the Great Compromise settle certain significant issues?

To learn more about the statesmen who wrangled over the specifics of the Constitution, meet them by visiting The Founding Fathers page. First, read the biographical overview of the delegates, which outlines their overall political experience, occupations, personal backgrounds, etc. Then at the lower part of The Founding Fathers page, you can click on any of the state names to read the biographies of that state's delegates. Alternatively, you can click on a specific delegate's name to jump directly to that biography on the state page.

Read about several of the committee members. How are their backgrounds and experiences similar to or different from each other? How did each of them get involved with the Constitutional Convention? What role did each of them play in developing the Constitution? What did they do with their lives after the document was signed?