Constitution Day
September 17
"The people make the Constitution, and the people can unmake it. It is the creature of their own will, and lives only by their will."
— John Marshall, 4th Chief Justice of The U.S. Supreme Court
The U.S. Constitution, like democracy itself, is vulnerable. Sustaining democracy depends on an educated and active citizenry.
On this Constitution Day website you'll find resources that, we hope, will inspire you to think about - and to act on - the Constitution's centrality to your life as a citizen and a scholar. What sets this website apart from other programs marking Constitution Day is its emphasis on Public Scholarship: presented here are resources to encourage you to think and discuss with others how your areas of academic and professional expertise relate, actually or potentially, to the Constitution. Follow the links to learn more about how this website can help you become a more informed and active citizen-scholar.
Learn About the Constitution
Below you will find recommended links to the U.S. Constitution as well as resources for further study of the Constitution, Constitution Day, and related historical and contemporary issues.
National Archives
The National Archives U.S. Constitution website offers digital scans of the U.S. Constitution and other important public documents as well as information about Constitution Day. This website offers a wealth of information about U.S. history: The National Archives is, indeed, the nation's archive. You can also download high-resolution digital copies of the U.S. Constitution and other founding documents from the National Archives website.
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with more than 130 million items on approximately 530 miles of bookshelves. The collections include more than 29 million books and other printed materials, 2.7 million recordings, 12 million photographs, 4.8 million maps, and 58 million manuscripts. The Library's mission is to make its resources available and useful to the Congress and the American people. The Library of Congress's American Memory Collection offers a wealth of online information about the history and cultures of the United States, including the Constitution and other founding documents.
National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center is an independent nonpartisan and nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of and appreciation for the Constitution, its history, and its contemporary relevance. You can find the Constitution in different digital formats, learn more by using an interactive version of the Constitution, and buy pocket-sized copies of the Constitution. More information about Constitution Day is also available on this website.
Constitution Day, Inc.
Constitution Day, Inc., is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization whose mission includes perpetuating the U.S. Constitution to each generation and educating people about the need to protect and defend the Constitution to maintain liberties.
Print versions of the U.S. Constitution
Constitution of the United States and Declaration of Independence, Pocket Edition, available from the U.S. Government Bookstore
The United States Constitution: What It Says, What It Means: A Hip Pocket Guide , available from Oxford University Press
Justice Learning
Justice Learning uses audio from the Justice Talking radio show and articles from The New York Times to teach students about reasoned debate and the often-conflicting values inherent in our democracy. The website includes a guide to the U.S. Constitution and detailed information about how each of the institutions of democracy (the courts, the Congress, the presidency, the press and the schools) affect each constitutional issue.
Justice Learning also features several audiovisual resources for download or streaming. These resources include key Constitutional concepts, conversations among U.S. Supreme Court justices about the Constitution, and current issues facing the Roberts Court.
Justice Talking
Listen to National Public Radio's Justice Talking to hear discussion of contemporary constitutional issues.
Oyez
Oyez, a unique U.S. Supreme Court multimedia website developed at Northwestern University, features more than 2,000 hours of Supreme Court audio and information about past and current Supreme Court Justices.