On September 17, 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution they had created, and George Washington delivered the document to the Congress assembled under the Articles of Confederation. Eleven days later, the Congress voted to send the proposed Constitution on to the states to ratify. On December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the new Constitution; eight months later, on July 26, 1788, New York became the eleventh state to ratify the document, and, in September of that year, the Congress under the Articles of Confederation certified that the new Constitution had passed. (Two states, North Carolina and Rhode Island, did not ratify the document until after the Bill of Rights was proposed and passed by Congress.)
As you celebrate Constitution Day, take time to read the document, and consider the meaning of the document’s famous preamble:
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 this Constitution for the United States of America.
And here are some great resources for teaching about Constitution Day:
Distinguished scholar-teachers Amy and Leon Kass demonstrate how short stories, speeches, and songs can be used to enhance civic education and how a pedagogical approach that stresses learning through inquiry can make primary sources come alive for students of all ages.
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