Tuesday is Constitution Day in America to commemorate the signing of the Constitution in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787. While many people know about the date known as the 226th anniversary of our nation's founding document, many do not know about the federal mandate related to our schools. Educational institutions receiving Federal funding are required to hold an educational program pertaining to the United States Constitution on September 17 of each year.
It was New York City news tycoon William Randolph Hearst who first suggested the day in the late 1930's. Eventually Congress designated the third Sunday in May as "I am an American Day." The holiday quickly gained support and popularity through the efforts of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service. In 1953 a new law went into effect and the "I am an American Day" observation became "Citizenship Day" and was moved to September 17.
In 2004, Congress changed the designation of the day to "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day" and added two new requirements in the commemoration of this Day. The first is that the head of every federal agency provide each employee with educational and training materials concerning the Constitution on September 17th. The second is that each educational institution which receives Federal funds should hold a program for students every September 17th.
Click here to take a quick 10 question quiz to test your knowledge about The Constitution.
Could you pass the test to become an American Citizen? Click here to answer the questions people seeking American citizenship must answer to pass the government's naturalization test.