Countdown to Constitution Day

Forward

The following videos and companion viewing guides are available now:

These same guests will be joining us live on Friday so sign up here to register for the live stream or submit your questions in advance.

Why did the Founders see the need to create a Bill of Rights? What historical documents and events influenced them as they drafted it? This latest installment in our Homework Help series explores these important constitutional questions.

Texas recently passed a new law named SB 8, or the Texas Heartbeat Act. The wording of this law and its encouragement of citizens to become directly involved in its enforcement has sparked debates. Please encourage your students to join in the latest debate on Think the Vote. This week's question: Should State Governments Enlist Citizens to Enforce Laws? Students with the strongest argument on both sides and their referring teachers will win gift cards and swag.

Were the Anti-Federalists incoherent and out of touch with the current political realities as their Federalists opponents claimed or did they offer insightful warnings about complex issues that would plague the United States under the Constitution? These opposing claims are taken up by scholars Gordon Lloyd of Pepperdine University and Adam Tate of Clayton State University in this Point-Counterpoint from our free digital U.S. history textbook, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Educator Spotlight

Meet Lem Wheeles!
Lem Wheeles, a Bill of Rights Institute Teacher Council member from Anchorage, Alaska, has been teaching for seventeen years. Despite having traveled extensively during this time (he’s visited 41 states), Lem has ultimately stayed true to his roots and teaches at his alma mater, A.J. Dimond High School. Lem was inspired to teach by his history teacher, Greg Brown, and in true “full circle” spirit, Lem now teaches AP U.S. History himself...Read More.

BoE: Bottom of Email

Dear John,

We are excited to celebrate Constitution Day with you and would like to invite you and your students to join us and our very special guests for all or part of our "constitutional conversation" this Friday, September 17 from 10:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. ET! I will be hosting all day and would love to "see" some friendly faces in the chat!

As most of you know, Constitution Day is celebrated every year as an anniversary of the day, September 17, 1787, that the Constitution was sent out to the states for ratification. While it was first celebrated in schools around 1911, it only became a major school civic holiday in 2005. It was this year that the U.S. Department of Education mandated that “each educational institution that receives federal funds for a fiscal year is required to hold an educational program about the U.S. Constitution for its students.” It's also why we offer so many resources in one day!

The theme we have chosen this year is "Liberty and Equality." The preamble of the U.S. Constitution says that one of its primary intentions is to "secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity." That brings to mind so many questions! What what does that really mean, and how does the document actually secure liberty? In what ways does the Constitution protect and promote equality? How and when have we fallen short as a nation in securing liberty and promoting equality throughout our history and in society today? And how can we do better going forward?

As we reflect on these and other questions in preparation for our Constitution Day broadcast this Friday, we encourage you to check out the prerecorded content and companion viewing guides on our Constitution Day page and sign up to submit your questions for Friday's live stream on YouTube.

I hope to see you there!

Warmly,

Rachel Davison Humphries
Director, Outreach
Bill of Rights Institute

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