Constitution Day is a holiday meant to celebrate and commemorate September 17th, 1787, the day that the United States Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution. It recognizes both the United States Constitution and all those who have become American citizens. Prior to 2004, it was called Citizenship Day. It was changed to Constitution Day after an amendment to the Omnibus Spending Bill was passed in 2004. Today, Constitution Day is mostly celebrated by educating people about the importance of the Constitution and what it has meant for American citizens.
Facts about Constitution Day are:
- Constitution Day was originally known as Citizenship Day.
- This bill also now mandates that there are educational programs on the history of the Constitution in all publicly funded schools on Constitution Day.
- Colleges and universities in the United States created ‘U.S. Constitution and Citizen Week’ to comply with the law.
- In 1939, William Hearst began to advocate for a holiday that would celebrate citizenship. William Hearst owned a chain of newspapers and used these to build awareness for his idea.
- Congress began calling the 3rd Sunday of May ‘I Am an American Day’ in 1940. United States Immigration and Naturalization made a film in 1944 called I Am an American to promote I Am an American Day.
- In 1949, 48 states made Constitution Day proclamations. In 1952 Congress changed ‘I Am an American Day’ to Citizenship Day, to be celebrated every year on September 17th.
- Senator Robert Byrd was responsible for having the amendment passed that changed the name in 2004 to
Constitution Day.
- In the major governments of the world, the United States Constitution is both the shortest and the oldest constitution, with only 4,543 words.
- Jacob Shallus, a clerk for the Pennsylvania General Assembly, penned the Constitution for $30. Today that would equal $726.
- Today the Constitution is on display in Washington, DC at the National Archives Building. It has been there since 1952. It is kept under special conditions to preserve the four pages.
- Because the Constitution did not contain a bill of rights, three of the 42 delegates did not sign the document.
- Benjamin Franklin, at 81, needed assistance to sign the Constitution because of his failing health. He’s said to have had tears streaming down his face as he signed the document. He was also the oldest person to sign while Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey, at 26, was the youngest.
- Not once in the Constitution does the word ‘democracy’ appear.
- The Constitution has been changed 17 times since it was created.
- Although Constitution Day is a federal event (not holiday), federal employees do not get a holiday.
- Many Americans post the American flag on poles on their front lawns and on their cars.
- Many students are given copies of the Constitution on Constitution Day, distributed for free by their schools.
- Many Americans use Constitution Day to clean up their neighborhood.
- There often cleanliness drives organized on Constitution Day, used as a way to promote both sanitation and social involvement.
- Many countries around the world also celebrate their own Constitution Day. They are celebrations to honor the signing of their own constitutions.
Must Read: