“We, the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity do ordain and establish the Constitution of the United States of America.” ~The Preamble to the Constitution
Do you sometimes hear people speak of their constitutional rights? Have you ever read about the Supreme Court ruling a law as unconstitutional? Abraham Lincoln said, “Study the constitution! Let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in the legislatures, and enforced by the courts of justice.” Constitution Week is September 17-23. This is a good time for learning about the principles upon which our country was founded.
In May of 1787, fifty-five delegates from thirteen states gathered at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. America had just won its independence from England. The states were working together under a loose agreement called the Articles of Confederation, but the Founding Fathers decided to create a Constitution that would be the basis of our federal government. George Washington was chosen as president of the Constitutional Convention. Among the men who wrote the Constitution were Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison.
The Constitution is the highest law of the land. The framers specifically stated in the body of the Constitution that its provisions supersede any other law. No act of government, no law passed by Congress, and no law in any city, state, or town can conflict with the Constitution. The framers of the Constitution did not want the government to have absolute power, however, so they limited the powers of the central government and left some powers to the states. Each of the branches of government checks and balances the others. To protect the people’s right to self-government, changes in the Constitution are limited by a strict set of guidelines.
The delegates signed the Constitution of the United States of America on September 17, 1787. The first ten amendments to the Constitution were adopted in 1791 to further public confidence in the government and prevent abuse of its powers. Called the Bill of Rights, they establish the basic freedoms of Americans and protect the rights of individual citizens. For example, the First Amendment guarantees the free exercise of religion, speech, and the press. The Second Amendment guarantees the right of the people to own and bear firearms.
Experts consider the Constitution of the United States to be one of the most remarkable documents in history. Written over 200 years ago, the Constitution still stands as a working model of cooperation and compromise. It incorporates the combined wisdom of some of the brightest minds in American history, who not only had a great love of their country but also had a beautiful command of the English language.
Daniel Webster said, “Miracles do not cluster. Hold on to the Constitution of the United States of America and the Republic for which it stands—what has happened once in six thousand years may never happen again. Hold on to your Constitution, for if the American Constitution shall fail there will be anarchy throughout the world.”
Celebrate Constitution Week
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Watch the award-winning DVD, “A More Perfect Union: America Becomes a Nation” (1989, 112 min.), a gripping account of the Federal Convention of 1787.
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Read “Shhh! We’re Writing the Constitution,” by Jean Fritz.
- Get your community group, church, or civic club to sponsor the distribution of a pocket-sized Constitution. Hand them out to family, friends, schools, co-workers. Whitten Printers of Phoenix produces a Citizens’ Rule Book which contains the Constitution and Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, quotes by Founding Fathers, etc. It’s available for only $1.00 each or even less for quantity orders. Call (602)258-6406 or e-mail wprinters at qwest.net
- Visit the following Web sites for more ideas:
www.constitutionfacts.com
www.nccs.net
www.RootsOfFreedom.org
www.whitehouse.gov/kids/constitution
www.edhelper.com/Constitution_Day.htm
www.4america.com/archives/constitution
www.archives.gov/education/lessons/constitution-day |
