Teaching Notes

This In Custodia Legis (Law Librarians of Congress) blog post explains how the Constitution Annotated site is prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) and provides objective, authoritative, timely, and non-partisan explanations of every provision of the Constitution based on comprehensive analyses of Supreme Court decisions.

  In Custodia Legis  

Teaching Notes

On September 17, 1787, the final draft of the Constitution was signed by 39 delegates. The document was then sent to the states for ratification, and went into effect on June 21, 1788 when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution.

In celebration of Constitution Day, the Library of Congress has compiled a variety of materials from across its collections. Explore these rich resources and features to learn more about one of America's most important documents. 

Resources are available from Congress.gov, Primary Source Documents Related to the United States Constitution, Activities from the Teaching with the Library of Congress Blog, Lesson Plans, LOC Online Collections and more.

Teaching Notes

Primary source lesson plans & activities are provided along with an Annotated Analysis & Interpretation of the US Constitution. See also sections on American Memory Timeline;  The Constitution: Counter Revolution or National Salvation; Encouraging Student Understanding of Negotiation and the Value of Notetaking during the 1787 Constitutional Convention; Preamble to the Constitution Image Sequencing; The Bill of Rights: Debating the Amendments; The U.S. Constitution: Continuity and Change in the Governing of the United States.

  Citizen U     Primary Source Nexus  

Teaching Notes

The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation ("Constitution Annotated" or "CONAN") provides a legal analysis and interpretation of the United States Constitution based on a comprehensive review of Supreme Court case law and, where relevant, historical practices that have defined the text of the Constitution. This regularly updated resource is written in "plain English" and useful for a wide audience: from constitutional scholars to those just beginning to learn about the nation's most important legal document.

In publication for over 100 years, the Constitution Annotated is a comprehensive, government-sanctioned record of the interpretations of the Constitution. Through 2 U.S.C. § 168, Congress has ordered the Librarian of Congress to compile and periodically update the Constitution Annotated to provide essential information to Congress and the public at large. A bound edition of the Constitution Annotated is published every ten years, with cumulative updates printed as a supplement insert every two years.

Teaching Notes

Constitutionfacts.com and the GIC (Government Information for Children - ALA GODORT) are national sponsors of the Fourteenth Annual U.S. Constitution Day Poster Contest for students, an international contest promoted exclusively through the Internet.

To compete, the contest invites K-12 entrants (including homeschoolers) to celebrate Constitution Day (Sept. 17) by designing a poster showing how they benefited from the freedoms embodied in the U.S. Constitution.

Entries must be postmarked by October 1, 2022. The first 100 entrants receive a free pocket constitution book from constitutionfacts.com, with the contest winners receiving additional prizes! To learn more, download the Poster Design Contest entry form.

Teaching Notes

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. Learn more about the U.S. Constitution through our public programs, family activities, and online resources including workshops for teachers and webinars for students.

Teaching Notes

The Sixth Amendment’s confrontation clause gives the accused the right “to be confronted with the witnesses against him” at a criminal trial. This video/film uses the U.S. Supreme Court case Crawford v. Washington to help explain the history and importance of the confrontation clause and why the framers knew it would be crucial to an effective system of justice.”

  Crawford v. Washington  

Teaching Notes

This graphic shows interactive displays at the National Constitution Center, near Independence Hall in Philadelphia, designed by Henry N. Cobb. The website from NY Times includes planning tips, programming ideas, Web resources, The Constitution Online & printable guide.

Teaching Notes

On September 17, 1787 the delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document they had created. Every year, on the anniversary of this date, students all around the country observe the date by studying and learning about the U.S. Constitution. The videos on this site explore the history, significance, and modern day applications of the document.

Teaching Notes

Resource provides information about the text, history, and meaning of the U.S. Constitution from leading scholars of diverse legal and philosophical perspectives.

Teaching Notes

The "Today in History September 17" entry from the Library of Congress features the U.S. Constitution. After much debate and compromise, the members of the Constitutional Convention signed the final draft of the Constitution on this day in 1787. It would take just over nine months to ratify this document that would become the supreme law of the land. Explore additional primary sources & resource links provided by Citizen U, a Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium Member.

  Citizen U     Primary Source Nexus  

Teaching Notes

In Philadelphia on May 14, 1787, the Federal Convention convened to revise the Articles of Confederation. But through discussion and debate it became clear that rather than amend the existing Articles, the Convention would draft an entirely new frame of government. This page can be used to find primary sources related to the Constitution and the "big ideas" it contains, as well as document-based learning activities to share with your students.

  National Archives  

Teaching Notes

Students deepen their understanding of the preamble to the U.S. Constitution with this primary source image sequencing activity.

  Citizen U    Primary Source Nexus  

Teaching Notes

From the US Citizenship and Immigration Services or USCIS, this resource provides information for learners and teachers including detailed lesson plans.

  US Citizenship and Immigration Services     UCIS  

Teaching Notes

This blog post from "In Custodia Legis: Law Librarians of Congress" announced the annual Constitution and Citizenship Day lecture on September 17th back in 2020. A recording may be accessed here.

  In Custodia Legis    African Americans  

Teaching Notes

The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America and the Federal Government of the United States. The United States Constitution was adopted on September 17, 1787, by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Learn about the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, Amendments to the Constitution, and our Founding Fathers. Extensive collection of constitutional books and DVDs.

Teaching Notes

Annotated listing of online Constitution Day resources curated by David Hales, Social Studies Consultant at Wayne RESA. Organized by grade level (elementary, middle school, and high school) with links to Constitution Day lessons.

Teaching Notes

Constitution Day is a celebration of our American democracy! Every year, lawyers engage students in Constitution Day lessons in classrooms throughout Michigan. The State Bar of Michigan has designed this page to help bar associations, lawyers & teachers lead exciting educational activities on Constitution Day.

  State Bar of Michigan