Text and Commentary
Constitution Day is September 17! Use these sources to read the Constitution, learn about its history, and find out how it has been interpreted since it was ratified in 1788.
- National Archives Experience: Charters of Freedom: The U.S. Constitution
- This site contains a history of the Constitution, images of the Constitution, and information for visitors who want to see the original document.
- Constitution of the United States
- This site from the U.S. Senate gives the text of the Constitution and all of its amendments, as well as brief explanatory notes for each clause.
- The Constitution of the United States of America
- Cornell University’s law school has posted the text of the Constitution, as well as extensive annotations for each section and citations to court cases that have interpreted the Constitution.
- Analysis and Interpretation of the U.S. Constitution
- This is a searchable version of the Constitution and annotations explaining the court cases that have interpreted its provisions. The Congressional Research Service compiles the annotations periodically.
- Making of the Constitution: Transcription of the Introduction and the U.S. Constitution from the First Volume of the Annals of Congress
- From the Library of Congress, this site provides a transcription of the original Constitution and its introduction.
Learning about the Constitution and Constitution Day
- Department of Defense Constitution Day and Citizenship Day Website
- Includes resources about Constitution Day and the Constitution and its relationship to defense, and Constitution courses.
- The Constitution of the United States
- From Whitehouse.gov, a page on what a constitution is, the constitutional convention, and the Bill of Rights.
- Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, 1774-1789
- From the Library of Congress, links to the journals of Congress, resolutions, committee reports, and other documents pertaining to the workings of Congress and the drafting and ratification processes for the Constitution.
- Constitution Day Resources
- Sponsored by the Federal Courts, this site contains sections that focus on this year’s themes for Constitution Day, facts, and interactive games. There are also sections designed for classroom activities and general information on the court system.
- Celebrating Constitution Day
- This site from CQ Press, a publisher of materials about Congress, contains lesson plans, facts, essays about constitutional issues, and background on the Constitution
- Constitution Day, Inc.
- This site is maintained by the non-profit organization, Constitution Day, Inc, whose goal is to promote the understanding of the Constitution and Preamble for all generations. Educational materials and Constitution Day flyers are available.
- Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
- From the US Citizenship and Immigration Service, this site provides resources for teachers and learners that are related to these days.
- Educational Implementation of Constitution Day
- Notice from the Federal Register explaining the implementation of Constitution Day, from the Department of Education.
- “Integrating OurDocuments.gov into the Classroom”
- This site contains information and ideas to incorporate government documents and history into classroom settings. Several activities and exercise ideas are also available.
Related Sources
- The James Madison Papers
- This collection contains over 12,000 documents written by James Madison, known as the “Father of the Constitution.” Organized by the Library of Congress, the James Madison Papers chronologically follows Madison’s life and his work.
Questions and Answers Pertaining to the Constitution- A detailed set of frequently asked questions about the Constitution, the people who created it, and the circumstances surrounding it