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Celebrate Constitution Day–September 17th

Background

In December 2004, Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia proposed an amendment to an omnibus spending bill with the intention of increasing students’ knowledge about the United States Constitution. As the United States Congress’ unofficial constitutional scholar, Senator Byrd believed that American primary, secondary, and post-secondary students lacked adequate knowledge of the Constitution.

The 2004 amendment, passed by both the House and Senate, established the annual federal observance of Constitution Day. In addition, the law requires that all educational institutions that receive federal funds implement educational programs relating to the United States Constitution on September 17th of each year. September 17th was selected as the date for Constitution Day to commemorate September 17th, 1787, when the colonial delegates to the Constitutional Convention met for the last time to sign the United States Constitution and present it to the American Public.

Don’t Miss These Constitution Day Programs on September 17th!

Constitution Hall Pass: The Presidency – On September 17th, and each day between September 10th – 23rd, tune in to a NEW Constitution Day episode of the National Constitution Center’s free webcast and live chat. Participate anywhere on the Saint Rose campus via the internet!

Constitution Resources

The Constitution – View and download hi-resolution images of the Constitution as part of the 100 Milestone Documents from the National Archives series.
Studying the Constitution – A list of exhibits and resources from the National Constitution Center. A good starting point for students of all ages.
The Bill of Rights Institute – A not for profit charity focused on providing educational resources on America’s Founding documents and principles for teachers and students of American History and Civics.
The Constitution: The Delicate Balance – A video instructional series on the American Constitution for college and high school classrooms and adult learners.
Biographical Sketches – The lives of the 39 Signers of the Constitution.
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History – Provides a variety of history-based lessons and programs, and their website features more than 60,000 unique historical documents in the Gilder Lehrman Collection.