We The People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Most Americans know that July 4th is our nation's birthday.  Far fewer Americans know that September 17th is the birthday of our government, the date in 1787 on which delegates to the Philadelphia Convention completed and signed the U.S Constitution.

The ideas on which America was founded--commitment to the rule of law, limited government and the ideals of liberty, equality and justice--are embodied in the Constitution, the oldest  written constitution of any nation on Earth.  Constitution Day is intended to celebrate not only the birthday of our government, but the ideas that make us Americans.

Online Activities

Check out the original document and learn new information.

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters.html

Learn about all the men who worked on the Constitution. There are many more than you remember. Check out this website for biographies and points of view of participants over 225 years ago.

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/founding-fathers

 Watch a video of the Preamble and the state timetable.

http://www.constitutionday.com/

Voter Registration Online Resources

Elections are November 7th! It will be here before you know it. Check out these websites for information on voting this exciting election year.

http://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingRegister.html