Every September 17th, the nation commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution.
What is Constitution Day?
Constitution Day is a historical commemoration marking the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787.
Constitution Day is an opportunity to reflect on the monumental, difficult compromises that united a diverse group of states. By law, any educational institution that receives federal funding must hold an educational program about the U.S. Constitution on or around September 17.
How to teach Constitution Day?
The actual text of the Constitution can be incredibly dense for students. But that doesn’t mean students can’t engage with and understand this important and influential document.
Rather than just reading it straight through, we recommend engaging your students by breaking the Constitution down using engaging, nonpartisan resources. iCivics offers a variety of teaching resources, activities, and tools that make the Constitution accessible and relevant to students of any age. You can explore the resources here.
How do I make space for Constitution Day?
We recognize that September can be busy and time, both for teaching and planning, is at a premium. Teaching Constitution Day doesn’t need to be complex or time-consuming and you don’t need to overhaul your entire curriculum or pacing guide.
iCivics removes hours of planning by providing vetted, ready-to-use resources so you can focus on the fun of teaching. The Constitution EXPLAINED video series teaches through each aspect of the Constitution in 2–3 minute. Each video introduces students to the text, history, and relevance of the U.S. Constitution in everyday language. Explore The Constitution EXPLAINED and all of iCivics resources here.
Why is Constitution Day important?
Constitution Day reminds students that a functioning democracy requires believing in something greater than oneself and embracing the humanity of people with different viewpoints.
As iCivics founder and former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor stated, “The fact is that knowledge about the Constitution…is not something that is handed down through the gene pool; every generation has to learn it.”
How is Constitution Day celebrated?
The holiday is officially “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day,” and is frequently marked by naturalization ceremonies where immigrants officially take the Oath of Allegiance.
Communities across the country celebrate with public readings of the Preamble, historical reenactments, and guest lectures from civic leaders. Institutions like the National Archives and the National Constitution Center host special virtual tours, podcasts, and exhibits for the public.
By law, any educational institution that receives federal funding must hold an educational program about the U.S. Constitution on or around September 17. You can celebrate by playing one of iCivics’ engaging and educational games that explore the rights granted by the Bill of Rights or the compromises that led to the Constitution.
How do schools celebrate Constitution Day?
There are so many ways that whole schools and individual classrooms can celebrate Constitution Day. We recommend reviewing our Constitution Day page for a full overview of ideas, games, and lesson plans.
How does Constitution Day help encourage civic education?
Constitution Day gives students space to think abstractly about their rights, building the civic digital literacy and critical thinking skills they need to actively participate in the American experiment. iCivics provides high-quality, nonpartisan resources that empower educators to teach foundational government principles without fear of modern political controversy. Explore the full library of Constitution-related resources here.
