The U.S. Constitution - an Introduction

September 17 is Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. This day commemorates the September 17, 1787 signing of the United States Constitution.

Shaping the face of history is never an easy task, and for the 55 delegates attending the 1786 Constitutional Convention the matter of reshaping the existing Articles of Confederation into something stronger and more definitive was a heavy burden to bear.

 Many proposals came forward during the convention for shaping the document, which would guide the infant nation into an uncertain future.  Men with competing visions and ideas spoke with great passion about governing principles and the distribution of power and authority.  The discussion reached such a fevered pitch that the very future of the document was in doubt, but the delegates persevered and created one of the greatest documents ever written.

In celebration of the Constitution’s anniversary (it was formally adopted on September 17, 1787), we have created a video presentation of the history, creation and ratification of the Constitution.  This history, presented by Kay Jenkins – a noted historian and thespian – gives viewers a greater understanding of the effort behind the constitutions creation and its importance today.