Full disclosure: I've never celebrated a "Constitution Day" in my life. I didn't even understand it was a holiday. I don't see the banks and post office closing, or anybody planning a parade (except a bunch of guys in kilts, and that's because our annual Highland Games are today - yay bagpipes!). If it weren't for the Internet, I wouldn't have known it was Constitution Day. But I'm all for people learning more about actual American history and foundations, so...
Robert Alt can get you started at No Left Turns, with his blog post with links.
Thomas Sowell asks Whose Constitution is it? - and demolishes the popular view that what matters is what the people who wrote it meant. (Hint: the document had to be ratified...)
The National Center for the Humanities has a Constitution Day page, with links.
And, if you're into behind-the-scenes stuff, here's Washington's Handwritten Annotations to the Constitution, as Dictated by the Committees.
Gem Books from 100 Years Past: 1924
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It was indeed a different era. What was going on in 1924 when these books
were being published and read? The 1924 Paris Olympics, Leopold and Loeb
murders,...
12 hours ago
3 comments:
www.constitutionday.com has a lot of information. This year, it is celebrated on the 16th (coinciding with the Day of Prayer!) so that it is on a school day. Children/people across the country were to recite the Preamble at the same time (2 p.m. ET). There's a video on the site with General Tommy Franks reciting it. I mention it on my blog, and I intend to be sure my family has the Preamble memorized this year!
Thanks!
BTW: I noticed that a lot of places, both on the Internet and in gatherings, observed it yesterday, Saturday the 17th. (And my Heritage Foundation calendar has it on the 17th.) No matter. I don't mind a 48-hour window of celebration if you don't. :-)
You're right, it is definitely the 17th, due to the day it was signed. But I just meant that the constitutionday.com website had it on the 16th, I guess for schools to participate in the reading of the Preamble. I hope the day grows in popularity - and understanding!
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