On May 25, 1787, the fifty-five delegates to the Constitutional Convention began …
On May 25, 1787, the fifty-five delegates to the Constitutional Convention began meeting in a room, no bigger than a large schoolroom, in Philadelphia’s State House. They posted sentries at the doors and windows to keep their "secrets from flying out." They barred the press and public, and took a vow not to reveal to anyone the words spoken there. There were speeches of two, three, and four hours. The convention, which lasted four months, took only a single eleven-day break. Explore these primary sources to learn more.
On September 25, 1789, Congress transmitted to the state Legislatures twelve proposed …
On September 25, 1789, Congress transmitted to the state Legislatures twelve proposed amendments to the Constitution. Numbers three through twelve were adopted by the states to become the United States (U.S.) Bill of Rights, effective December 15, 1791.
The so-called "Fifth Page" of the US Constitution -- also known as …
The so-called "Fifth Page" of the US Constitution -- also known as the Transmittal Page -- has never been publicly displayed. On the 225th anniversary of the ratification of the US Constitution the Fifth Page was displayed at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The Fifth Page has received the same care as the more famous documents in the Charters of Freedom and is encased in the same type of state-of-the-art oxygen-free encasement as the Declaration of Independence, Constitution pages one to four, and the Bill of Rights.
Test your knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, Supreme Court, Articles of Confederation, …
Test your knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, Supreme Court, Articles of Confederation, Founding Fathers and Declaration of Independence. Choose from five Treasure Hunts to print out and then search constitutionfacts.com to find the answers.
This is a self-service online workshop for teachers who use primary documents …
This is a self-service online workshop for teachers who use primary documents to help students see the impact and ongoing relevance of the Constitution. It requires little advance preparation and provides everything needed, including a vocabulary list, document analysis worksheets, and historical documents -- John Marshall's Supreme Court nomination (1801), proclamation to New Orleans (1803), Lincoln's telegram to Grant (1864), Johnson oath photo (1963), and more.
Jack Rakove, William Robertson Coe Professor of History and American Studies at …
Jack Rakove, William Robertson Coe Professor of History and American Studies at Stanford University, briefly discusses James Madison's role in the framing and ratification of the Constitution, as well as the legal approach of Originalism.
In this Inside the Vaults video short, Chief of Reference at the …
In this Inside the Vaults video short, Chief of Reference at the National Archives Trevor Plante literally takes viewers inside the Archives vaults to see some of his favorite rarely-displayed documents. They include: • The original text of the "Virginia Plan," Edmund Randolph's proposal for a national government that included three co-equal branches: "supreme legislative, judiciary and executive"; • A printed copy of the Constitution with George Washington's handwritten annotations; • The final printed copy of the Constitution, which was delivered to the Constitutional Convention September 13, 1787, approved by vote on September 15, and then signed on September 17; and • The state of Pennsylvania's ratification copy of the Constitution — unlike the four-page version of the Constitution on display at the National Archives in Washington, DC, the entire text is on one enormous sheet of parchment so it could be more easily transported.
Inside the Vaults includes highlights from the National Archives in the Washington, DC, area and from the Presidential libraries and regional archives nationwide. These shorts present behind-the-scenes exclusives and offer surprising stories about the National Archives treasures.
Come see the U.S. Constitution on permanent display at the National Archives …
Come see the U.S. Constitution on permanent display at the National Archives in Washington, DC. September 17 is designated as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787.
Help build the largest repository of foreign translations of the U.S. Constitution …
Help build the largest repository of foreign translations of the U.S. Constitution on the Internet! We’ve started with French, Spanish, Russian and English. Download pdf files of the Constitution in these languages.
U.S. History is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of …
U.S. History is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of most introductory courses. The text provides a balanced approach to U.S. history, considering the people, events, and ideas that have shaped the United States from both the top down (politics, economics, diplomacy) and bottom up (eyewitness accounts, lived experience). U.S. History covers key forces that form the American experience, with particular attention to issues of race, class, and gender.
Fifth grade students in Michigan begin their study of American history with …
Fifth grade students in Michigan begin their study of American history with American Indian peoples before the arrival of European explorers and conclude with the adoption of the Bill of Rights in 1791.
The High School United States History MI Open Book takes students on …
The High School United States History MI Open Book takes students on a journey through the final chunk of US History first started in fifth and continued in eighth grades respectively.
Eighth grade students in Michigan continue their study of United States History …
Eighth grade students in Michigan continue their study of United States History from the development of the Constitution through Reconstruction. Geographic, civics/government, and economics content is integrated within the historical context. Students should understand the relevancy and connections of this history to their lives. Students will use significant content knowledge, research, and inquiry to analyze issues. They develop reasoned arguments and write a persuasive civic essay addressing issues from the past within a historical context.
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