Constitution Day Lessons. Most Americans know that July 4th is our nation's birthday. Far fewer Americans know that September 17th is the birthday of our government, the date in 1787 on which delegates to the Philadelphia Convention completed and signed the U.S. Constitution. The ideas on which America was founded--commitments to the rule of law, limited government and the ideals of liberty, equality and justice--are embodied in the Constitution, the oldest written constitution of any nation on Earth. Constitution Day is intended to celebrate not only the birthday of our government, but the ideas that make us Americans. Many organizations across the country offer a variety of resources to students, educators, and the general public about the U.S. Constitution:
Follow these links for useful information!
- Bill of Rights Institute
- Center for Civic Education
- Constitutional Rights Foundation
- Freedoms Foundation online lessons on the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights:
- Icivics offers games, lesson plans and a message from former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
- National Archives
- National Constitution Center
- Public Broadcasting Service Rediscovering George Washington program
