Constitution Day – (or Citizenship Day ) is an American federal observance that recognizes the adoption of the United States Constitution and those who have become U.S. citizens. It is normally observed on September 17, the day in 1787 that delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document in Philadelphia.
When Constitution Day falls on a weekend or on another holiday, schools and other institutions observe the holiday on an adjacent weekday.
The law establishing the present holiday was created in 2004 with the passage of an amendment by Senator Robert Byrd to the Omnibus spending bill of 2004. Before this law was enacted, the holiday was known as "Citizenship Day". In addition to renaming the holiday "Constitution Day and
Citizenship Day," the act mandates that all publicly funded educational institutions, and all federal agencies, provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution on that day. In May 2005, the United States Department of Education announced the enactment of this law and that it would apply to any school receiving federal funds of any kind. This holiday is not observed by granting time off work for federal employees.
Universities and colleges nationwide have created "U.S. Constitution and Citizenship Weeks" in order to meet the requirements of the law. For example, the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) has created a celebration week that includes "Constitution Trivia Contests", distribution of free copies of the U.S. Constitution, a campus & community fair (in which volunteer and community groups can share information with students), a web page with facts and links related to the Constitution and history of the United States. MSOE has also distributed thousands of free "Presidential quote" T-shirts to all students on campus.
Instructions: Go through each link below. Read and listen (use headphones) then answer the questions that follow. Type your answers on a word document then print out your word document. You can copy and paste the questions to your word document. Print to Library printer then turn in to teacher.
Free Resources
Constitution
Center - About
Centuries of
Citizenship - A
Constitutional
Timeline http://constitutioncenter.org/about http://constitutioncenter.org/timeline/
Questions and
Answers about the
Constitution from the National
Archives http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_q_and_a.html
Interactive
Constitution http://constitutioncenter.org/constitution
Meet the
Founders - biographies of the
55 delegates of the Constitutional
Convention http://constitutioncenter.org/learn/educational-resources/founding-fathers/
The Fabled Birth of the Constitution https://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/view/assetGuid/89E10117-
D419-4583-A76A-B77F437ECC89

● Why was the Constitution created?
● How is the Constitution different than the Declaration of Independence and the Article of
Confederation?
● What purposes of government are outlined in the Preamble to the Constitution?
● Why are limits on the government necessary?
● Could the Articles of Confederation have been revised? Why was an entirely new government necessary?
● Who were the men who signed the Constitution? What ideas did they propose?
● What were the major topics of debate during the Constitutional Convention? How do those debates help provide context for the time period?
● Did the Constitution and Bill of Rights represent the interests of all Americans? Why or why not? Do they now?
● What is the difference between global, digital, and national citizenship? Why are each important?
● What further amendments would you make to the Constitution?
● Where is the National Constitution Center located?
● Why is its location significant to the Constitution?
● How have rights changed over time since the Constitution was signed? Provide examples.
● How does the Constitution reflect major principles of American democracy?
● Is the Constitution still effective for governing the United States today? Why or why not?