CONSTITUTION DAY, September 17

September 15, 2025/The Talk of Delmarva News

September 17th is Constitution Day – which recognizes the adoption of the US Constitution by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. The US Constitution has seen many changes through the years. Before becoming Constitution Day in 1952, the day was known as I Am an American Day and celebrated with Citizenship Day in May.

  • 1940 – I Am an American Day – designated third Sunday in May
  • 1952 – Congress moved it to September 17 & renamed it Citizenship Day
  • 2017 – reaffirmed as Constitution Day & Citizenship Day by President Trump

ABOUT THE US CONSTITUTION:

The current Constitution Day was established in 2004 in order that educational institutions and federal agencies provide educational programming on the history of the United States Constitution. September 17th is also recognized as Citizenship Day – to recognize those who have become US citizens.

The US Constitution is our most important document. It has stood throughout history as a testament to the tenacity of Americans to maintain our liberties, freedoms and inalienable rights. The Constitution is the basis for America’s great heritage and the foundation for our way of life.

The Daughters of the American Revolution expanded the recognition to Constitution Week in 1955. This was adopted by the US Congress and signed into law by President Eisenhower on August 2, 1956.

The US Constitution has been amended 27 times – first 10 amendments are the Bill of Rights. One amendment – the 18th – the federal prohibition of alcohol was ratified in January of 1919 and was repealed by the 21st Amendment on Dec 5, 1933 – which allowed prohibition to be maintained at the state and local levels.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE US CONSTITUTION:

The draft that formed the basis of the US Constitution was written by James Madison. George Washington presided over the Convention at Independence Hall in Philadelphia in 1787. Seventy individuals were appointed to the Constitutional Convention, but a number did not accept or could not attend. The Convention lasted from May 25 to September 17 as 55 delegates debated the duties of the government, checks and balances and the rights and freedoms of the people – however only 39 actually signed the Constitution. Rhode Island sent no delegates to the Constitutional Convention.

FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION:
Benjamin Franklin(PA), Alexander Hamilton(NY), James Madison(VA), and George Washington(VA) all signed the Constitution. On December 7, 1787, Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution.   (* Did NOT sign the Constitution)

  • Delaware – December 7, 1787 (Richard Bassett, Gunning Bedford, Jr., Jacob Broom, John Dickinson and George Read)
  • Pennsylvania – December 12, 1787 (George Clymer, Thomas Fitzsimons (FitzSimons; Fitzsimmons), Benjamin Franklin, Jared Ingersoll, Thomas Mifflin, Gouverneur Morris, Robert Morris, James Wilson)
  • New Jersey – December 18, 1787  (David Brearly (Brearley), Jonathan Dayton, William C. Houston*, William Livingston, William Paterson (Patterson))
  • Georgia – January 2, 1788  (Abraham Baldwin, William Few, William Houston*, William L. Pierce*)
  • Connecticut – January 9, 1788  (Oliver Ellsworth (Elsworth)*, William. Samuel Johnson, Roger Sherman)
  • Massachusetts – February 6, 1788  (Elbridge Gerry*, Nathaniel Gorham, Rufus King, Caleb Strong*)
  • Maryland – April 28, 1788  (Daniel Carroll, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Luther Martin*, James McHenry, John F. Mercer*)
  • South Carolina – May 23, 1788  (Pierce Butler, Charles Pinckney, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, John Rutledge)
  • New Hampshire – June 21, 1788  (Nicholas Gilman, John Langdon)
  • Virginia – June 25, 1788  (John Blair, James Madison Jr., George Mason*, James McClurg*, Edmund J. Randolph*, George Washington, George Wythe*)
  • New York – July 26, 1788  (Alexander Hamilton, John Lansing, Jr.*, Robert Yates*)
  • North Carolina – November 21, 1789  (William. Blount, William R. Davie*, Alexander Martin*, Richard. Dobbs Spaight, Hugh Williamson)
  • Rhode Island – May 29, 1790  did not send any delegates to the Constitutional Convention
    • From the National Archives: Between September of 1787 and January of 1790, Rhode Island’s legislature rejected 11 attempts to ratify the Constitution, but finally ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790, by a vote of 34 to 32.

=============================================

National Day Calendar – https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/
DAR – https://www.dar.org/outreach/education/constitution-week
National Archives – https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript
                               https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution

 

Posted in