What is constitution day and why do we celebrate it

September 17 is the day of the constitution and the day of citizenship (day of the constitution). This day commemorates the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787.

Each educational institution that receives federal funds during a fiscal year must conduct an educational program about the United States. constitution for your students on September 17 (if it falls on a weekend, it must be held the week before or the week after).

This publication is intended to remind affected educational institutions of this responsibility and to provide examples of resources for them to consider using in developing their program. we also offer sample resources for learners and learners of all ages.

To assist in the planning of Constitution Day programs, we are pleased to provide links to websites that contain materials that are publicly accessible for general use or as classroom instructional materials. these links and materials are provided by all three branches of government in an exciting step forward in collaboration to share these resources.

the united states department of education does not direct or control individual curricula or lessons. The resource lists below contain links to learning resources created and maintained by other public and private organizations, and the grade levels and target audiences cited are examples only. This information is provided for your convenience and as examples of incorporation day resources that you may find useful.

institution day resources

• general constitution day resources [national archives]
• Constitution Day Remarks from Debra Steidel Wall, Acting Archivist of the United States [National Archives]
• president neh constitution day remarks [national endowment for the humanities]
• comments from dr. anthea hartig, elizabeth macmillan director of the smithsonian national museum of american history [smithsonian national museum of american history]
• civic engagement [institute of museum and library services]

pk-5 masters

• Calculus Exhibition: Children’s Collection and Guide [Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture]

k-12 teachers

• popular topics of the constitution page in docsteach [national archives]
• first amendment in 21st century america [national endowment for the humanities]
• Commemoration of Constitution Day [National Endowment for the Humanities]
• Courting Liberty: Slavery and Equality under the [National Endowment for the Humanities] Constitution
• a more perfect union [national endowment for the humanities]
• education for american democracy: smithsonian summer sessions 2022 [smithsonian institution]

3-12 teachers

• visualizing democracy [national portrait gallery]

6-12 teachers

• lesson plan: constitution day resources [library of congress]
• voices for social justice [national portrait gallery]
• revolution and new nation (1763-1815) with the national portrait gallery [national portrait gallery]
• ratify the constitution: a digital gaming opportunity [national endowment for the humanities]

5-12 students and teachers

• American Experiments (Classroom Edition) [Smithsonian National Museum of American History]

6-12 students and teachers

• national history day: origins of the usa. constitution [smithsonian office of educational technology and publishing]
• how the court works and functions [supreme court historical society]
• landmark cases [supreme court historical society]
• marbury v. madison [supreme court historical society]
• we the students – supreme court cases for and about students [supreme court historical society]
• Defining Freedom: Securing the Promise of the 13th Amendment [Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture]
• rebuilding citizenship (14th amendment) [smithsonian national museum of black history and culture]
• Keeping Promises: 150 Years and Counting (15th Amendment) [Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture]

8-12 students and teachers

• Becoming Us: Teaching immigration and migration history in the 21st century [smithsonian national museum of american history]
• national youth summits (upon request) [smithsonian national museum of american history]
• join student sit-ins [smithsonian national museum of american history]

9-12 students and teachers

• northern plains treaties: is a treaty intended to last forever? [smithsonian national museum of the american indian]

6-8 students

• independence hall: international symbol of freedom [national park service]
• the preamble of the constitution: a lesson in careful reading [national endowment for the humanities]
• Before and Beyond the Constitution: What’s a President to Do? [National Endowment for the Humanities]
• we the people virtual tour [national park service]

6-12 students

• Learning History Through Objects: The Founding Documents [Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture]

9-12 grade

• protect the independence of the judiciary from disinformation [supreme court historical society]
• the constitutional convention of 1787 [[national endowment for the humanities]
• Analysis of the Constitution: Interaction Between the Three Branches [Supreme Court Historical Society]
• supreme court cases and women’s rights [supreme court historical society]
• 100 civics study questions for naturalization [pdf, 303kb] [us. citizenship and immigration services]
• preparing for the naturalization test: a pocket study guide [pdf, 421kb] [us. citizenship and immigration services]
• annotated constitution, analysis and interpretation of the united states. constitution [library of congress]
• United States Constitution: Major Documents in American History [Library of Congress]
• constitution uses [national endowment for the humanities]

family resources

• the toolkit for families learning civics together [u.s. citizenship and immigration services]
• a more perfect union: the uscis civics test guide to the monuments and memorials at the national mall [u.s. citizenship and immigration services]

regarding outside the us. uu. department of education websites, these are provided as examples of constitution day resources that you may find useful. there are many other resources available that can be just as helpful. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of these sites, nor does our inclusion here constitute an endorsement of the sites, the material on the sites, or the related products or services of the entity that provided the information.

We encourage federal, state, and local officials, as well as leaders of civic, social, and educational organizations, to hold ceremonies and programs that bring together members of the community to reflect on the importance of active citizenship, recognize the enduring strength of our constitution, and we reaffirm our commitment to the rights and duties of citizenship in this great nation.