Have you ever watch as moths are drawn to the light?  It is a fascinating experience.  There are times that I feel that way and the Constitution is one of those experiences.  Lately I've felt drawn to read and study its content.  While the past couple weeks have been quite busy that desire has waned.  Today the desire to study the content was renewed in a burst of light. 

The guide from the National Park service shared with us that shortly after the American Indian war in 1763 the British implemented the Sugar Act to pay for the expense.  After wards various other acts were implemented.  The final straw as the stamp act which required that a stamp was added to every piece of official paper.  Ever think about how much official paperwork we deal with every day.  Then perhaps not as much as now but still every marriage, deed transfer, newspaper etc.  The money went directly to the British with no mention of where the money went.  Did it pay off the debt incurred from the war or into King George III pocket?  This was the beginning of the colonists cry "Taxation without Representation". 

When we moved from this area to the first room where the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court met. 

From Independence Hall

From Independence Hall

The cage is where the defendant stood during the entire trial thus the statement "Standing for trial" came about.  Just visible on the right.

The Next room, my personal favorite is where the delegates met to hammer out the details of the Constitution.  Many of the delegates were "tricked" into coming.  Others came with the idea that they were going to do whatever it took to prevent anything that Benjamin Franklin wrote from coming to fruition.  The answers to the next question surprised me.  How many of you have read the Constitution.  One person raised their hand.  Our guide indicated that even he had not read it but shared how much it influences our lives each and every day.  It is truly a living Constitution.   One person in the room of at least 75 people read the Constitution.  If that doesn't inspire me what will.  In my opinion, there need to be more of us that understand what the Constitution means and key to understanding its principles and objectives.

From Independence Hall

In Search of the American Constitutional Paradigm has a video that shares the Key to the Constitution. 

Thomas Jefferson Education advocates Inspire not require.  So before I can inspire my children to learn about the Constitution I need to understand.  Here are some of the resources that I'm using in my walk.

http://www.freedomformula.us/

The Five Thousand Year Leap and The Making of America  Both of these were obtained from National Center for Constitutional Studies.

This book was written to more easily pass on the rich and timeless message of the U.S. Constitution and to demonstrate how it serves us today. Easy-to-use, it makes the legalistic language and complex structure of the document accessible for all students. Using a unique, two-column format, the full text of the Constitution is presented beside an explanation of its meaning in terms students will understand. Divided into lessons of varying length, it includes thought-provoking questions and directives for outside work. The book begins with a study of the Declaration of Independence for historical perspective. 168 pp.

My favorite piece of furniture in this room is the President's Chair.  Why it probably has to do more with the sun  on the back of it.  The Rising Sun Armchair

From Independence Hall

James Madison reported Benjamin Franklin saying, "I have often looked at that behind the president without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now I... know that it is a rising...sun."  This happened after the signing that the Sun was Rising on a New nation. 

Whether you are for or against the consitution, it is my hope and prayer that you will take the time to read it.