Constitution Day Resources from the Gilder Lehrman Institute

Posted by Gilder Lehrman Staff on Friday, 08/10/2018

First printed draft of the US Constitution, August 6, 1787. (Gilder Lehrman Institute) The United States has the oldest written national framework of government in the world. The US Constitution is a dynamic document that has inspired debate since its inception, has been used to justify and later correct deplorable practices, and lives on through wars; technological innovations; political, social, and cultural changes; and other tests of its merits and power.

Constitution Day is Monday, September 17, 2018.

In 2004 Constitution Day, also known as Citizenship Day (and formerly known as I Am an American Day), was federally mandated as a day for all schools in the United States that get federal funding to provide programs on the history of the Constitution. Today, it is more important than ever for all Americans to know about and understand the origins, evolution, and implementation of the country’s founding document.

Explore these Gilder Lehrman Institute resources to bring the US Consitution’s creation and expansion to life in your classroom: