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Celebrate Constitution Day!
September 17, 2005
Background / Documents / Visit / Timeline / Trivia / Web Sites
Background
Since May of 1787, delegates had gathered in the State House (Independence Hall) of Philadelphia, PA, to revise the Articles of Confederation, the first governing documents of the United States of America as adopted by the Continental Congress in 1777. After several months of debate and redrafting, delegates voted to design an entirely new framework for the government, the Constitution.
After the Constitution was signed by members of the Continental Congress in September 1787, fierce debates ensued at the state level over issues such as the power of central government and states, and the process of electing representatives. The Constitution was eventually ratified and took effect on June 21, 1788.
Constitution Documents
View images and the text of the Constitution and related documents from the National Archives:
Constitution of the United States High-Resolution Images of the Constitution Transcript of the Constitution The Bill of Rights: Amendments 1-10 Constitutional Amendments 11-27The Constitution Today
Today the constitution is housed at the National Archives and Records Administration on Constitution Ave NW [between 7th and 9th St.] in Washington, DC. You can visit the National Archives website for more information, hours, and directions here.
Historical Timeline of the United States Constitution
| March 25-28, 1785 |
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| September 11-14, 1786 |
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| February 21, 1787 |
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| May 25, 1787 |
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| May 29, 1787 |
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| July 26, 1787 |
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| August 6, 1787 |
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| September 17, 1787 |
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Constitution Trivia and Information
More information from the National Archives:
Questions & Answers Pertaining to the Constitution A More Perfect Union: The Creation of the U.S. Constitution The Signers of the Constitution The Constitution GameRelated Web Sites
National Archives: Celebrate Constitution Day 2005 Library of Congress: United States Constitution National Constitution Center Justice Learning: Constitution Day 2005