27: Countdown to Constitution Day

Constitution Day (or Citizenship Day) is an American federal holiday that recognizes the ratification of the United States Constitution. Citizenship Day also recognizes all who have become citizens due to either coming of age or naturalization. It is celebrated on September 17, the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787.

Before Constution Day, students study the US Constitution, focusing on the rights and responsibilites of American Citizenship. On Constitution Day, students sign a large copy of the Constitution and are given pocket-sized copies of the Constitution. Many adult schools honor the students who were naturalized as American citizen during the previous school year. The school also encourages the students who are preparing for naturalization during the upcoming school year.

Today's Topic: The Preamble

The Premble lists the reasons that the 13 original colonies separated from their mother ountry, and became an independent nation.

We the People of the United States,
in Order to form a more perfect Union, good government
establish Justice, good laws

insure domestic Tranquility, peace in our homes

provide for the common defence, national security
promote the general Welfare, healthy communities
and secure the Blessings of Liberty freedom
to ourselves and our Posterity, children
do ordain and establish give authority
this Constitution the supreme law of the land

for the United States of America.

For more information, see: Nation Constitution Center: We the People and EL Civics.

Added 08/28/08 Listen to ESLPOD English 92 for the Preamble to the US Constitution.
Check back every day for more info on the Constitution!