Constitution and Citizenship Day: Constitution Day Websites
An overview of Constitution Day and the reasons we celebrate it. September 17 is Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. This day commemorates the September 17, 1787,compeletion and signing of the United States Constitution by the thirty-nine delegates to t
Interactive learning tools, lesson plans, and other items that engage students in fundamental questions about the United States Constitution and its relevance to their lives.
The National Archives and Records Administration celebrates this important day in our nation's history by presenting the following activities, lesson plans, and information.
Includes programming and planning ideas, and links to web tools and resources aimed at a variety of audiences.
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day [Library of Congress]Did you know that in addition to celebrating the creation of the Constitution on September 17th, the United States also celebrates Citizenship Day? Citizenship Day recognizes all who, “by coming of age or by naturalization have become citizens.”
What makes a person a citizen of the U.S.? According to the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified on July 9, 1868, “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the State wherein they reside.” This has been subject to interpretation and change since the 14th Amendment was enacted. For example, Native Americans were not officially considered United States citizens until the Indian Citizenship Act was passed in 1924.
In 1940, Congress decreed that the third Sunday in May would be I Am an American Day. In 1952, the day was moved to September 17 to correspond with the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution. Then, in 2004, Congress approved legislation to combine the two events into one holiday, declaring September 17th to be both Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.
