Did you know??
Constitution day is September 17. It’s not a date you hear very much about. In recognition of the day, here are some excerpts from the National Constitution Center about this important document.
· Written in 1787, the Constitution was signed on September 17th, but wasn’t ratified by the necessary nine states until 1788.
· In 1791, Americans added a list of individual rights. The first ten constitutional amendments became known as The Bill of Rights.
· Two of the founding fathers didn’t sign the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson was representing his country in France and John Adams was doing the same in Great Britain.
· The first national “Thanksgiving Day” was created by George Washington on November 26, 1789 as a way of “giving thanks” for the Constitution.
· At 81, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania was the oldest delegate at the Constitutional Convention and at 26, Jonathon Dayton of New Jersey was the youngest.
· The original Constitution is on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, it was moved to Fort Knox for safekeeping.
· More than 11,000 amendments have been introduced in Congress. Thirty three have gone to the states to be ratified and twenty seven have received the necessary approval from the states to actually become amendments.
What an amazing document that continues to stand the test of time! To learn more go to constitutioncenter.org.