Tag Archives: September 17th

When To Celebrate Constitution Week

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Celebrating Constitution Week!

The Constitution of the United States of America is generally regarded by people around the world, but most especially by American citizens, to be the greatest document written by man that declares the rights of men everywhere to be free. Freedom is the cornerstone of the American way of life: freedom to worship whomever we please, freedom to gather, freedom to come and go as we please, and other such freedoms are ingrained into the American spirit forever.

September 17, 1787 is one of the most important dates in the history of the United States because it was on this day that the Constitution was signed by the men who wrote it. Forever enshrined in the Smithsonian, millions of Americans every year flock to Washington D.C. to glimpse this famous document that serves as a basis for everything America stands for and believes in.

The first celebration of the signing of the Constitution took place in Philadelphia, and to this day, the biggest and most festive celebrations take place in the city that served as our first capitol. In the 1900’s however, the day took on a special importance, especially when the one-hundredth anniversary of the signing approached. A national celebration of the day was celebrated in Philadelphia in 1887 with the direction of the Centennial Constitution Commission. Every state in the Union was represented at the festivities, as were territories not yet included in statehood. A parade of more than 12,000 people helped to celebrate the grand event, followed by another parade the following day, with over 30,000 participants.

Groups and organizations today, such as the Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution, often lead festivities in honor of the signing, and school plays and biographical lessons are given to honor the Founding Fathers and their ideals. Children start off their school year by learning about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and Paul Revere as part of their school curriculum and crafts and readings are geared toward the beginnings of our country.

Over two hundred years has passed since the signing of the United States Constitution, but the day is still honored with due pomp and ceremony in Washington D.C. and many other cities around the nation. It is a day to remember the roots of our country, our freedom and our way of life. Constitution Week is a time to remember the father of our country, George Washington, and his service as general and first president of our nation, as well as the sacrifices made by other of our founding fathers. Noah Webster said that George Washington was “the greatest political leader of his time and also the greatest intellectual and moral force of the Revolutionary period.”

Constitution Week celebrates the writing of the document that makes America what it is today. It was framed and created on principals and is worthy of acceptance by all Americans. It provides protection against tyranny and assures democracy. It allows the American people to decide the course of their future, where every citizen has the right to vote, to debate and to disagree without fear. The greatness of the Constitution is that it gives power to the people, and it is the people who decide our future. As one of the greatest documents outlining human rights and freedoms in the history of mankind, it is right that Americans everywhere should remember September 17th as the day they were given their freedoms, freedoms which are never to be taken for granted, but that are worth fighting for, and at times, dying for. Constitution Week is a period of time where all Americans celebrate America and her special place in the world, a time where American pride and spirit rings across the nation.

When Is Citizenship Day

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Becoming American on Citizenship Day

Every September 17th, thousands of people from across the nation take a pledge to become United States citizens. The day is officially called Citizenship Day and marks an important moment for immigrants from around the world as a day when they become Americans, as well as a day for native born Americans to remember and celebrate our rights and responsibilities as free citizens of one of the greatest nations in the world.

September 17th is the day the United States Constitution was signed in 1787, and is a day that is also observed to honor our Founding Fathers and the freedoms to which every American citizen has been granted. Citizenship is the mortar that holds our nation together, and in the heart of every American beats the nature of a free man, one who is able to reach any goals or aspirations they seek regardless of race, faith or social status. Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world immigrate to America to enjoy the same freedom and possibilities, and citizenship naturalization ceremonies take place all across the United States on Citizenship Day as these very same people raise their right hands and swear to an oath of allegiance to the United States of America.

Citizenship Day has been celebrated since the early 1940’s, when President Harry S. Truman signed a resolution created by Congress that designated the third Sunday of every May as, “I am an American Day”. In 1952, he signed a subsequent bill that designated September 17th as a day to be observed by all Americans. He felt it was especially important for all citizens to learn and understand the rights granted to every American through the Constitution and to honor the principles that proved the foundation for our country.

When immigrants want to become officially recognized as American citizens, they must begin a long process of learning and understanding. When they’re ready, they are given tests that show their interest and their knowledge of basic events in American history and also of how the United States government is designed and how it works. A naturalization ceremony is usually held in every state on September 17th, and immigrants from every town, city, and county appear in Federal court or civil immigration services offices throughout the country to take the Oath of Allegiance. The ceremony offers these immigrants, no matter where they’re from, as true American citizens with the rights of native-born Americans, full citizenship, and its benefits.

Over a million immigrants have already become American citizens in the first years of the 21st century. It’s not only meant to be a day for those who want to become citizens of the United States, it’s also a day in which every native born American should pause for a moment or two, at the very least, to recognize how fortunate they are to belong to such a country that guarantees rights and freedoms to her citizens. Many Americans take these freedoms and rights for granted, which is why many schools around the country use the date as an opportunity to explain to students what the Constitution of the United States is, what it says, and what it means, to young people everywhere. It’s a time when both children and adults can appreciate the unique freedoms enjoyed in our country that are not approved or allowed in other countries around the world. The spirit of freedom beats strong in the heart of all Americans, to those of newly granted citizenship and those who come from Mayflower stock. Whether new or old, American citizenship offers people of all races, creeds, beliefs and social backgrounds equal rights and freedoms that are never to be taken for granted.