Lesson Plan Constitution Day Teacher Resources

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.

Congress.gov

• Congress.gov - the source for U.S. Legislative Information Videos on the Legislative Process
• Get to Know the New Congress … Right from the Source

Free Constitution Ebook for Teachers and Students

• The Constitution: Student Discovery Set External
  This interactive ebook for iPads lets students zoom in on and annotate primary source documents from the drafts and debates that brought the Constitution and Bill of Rights into being.

Primary Source Documents Related to the United States Constitution

• Articles of Confederation
• Constitution
• Federalist Papers
• Bill of Rights
• 13th Amendment
• 14th Amendment
• 15th Amendment
• 19th Amendment

Resources for Teachers

• Constitution: Primary Source Set
  Primary sources, historical context, teaching suggestions, analysis tools and guides
• Creating the United States Constitution: Interactive
  Connect particular phrases and ideas set down in the Constitution with texts that preceded it
• Creating the Bill of Rights: Interactive
  Connect particular phrases and ideas set down in the Bill of Rights with texts that preceded it
• The New Nation: The United States Constitution
  Primary source excerpts and discussion questions related to the Constitution

Activities from the Teaching with the Library of Congress Blog

• Constitution Day: Exploring the Creation of the Constitution Online
• Constitution Day: Celebrating the Father of the Constitution
• The Preamble to the Constitution: Making Inferences About Intent Using Two Drafts from the Library of Congress
• More posts on the Constitution

Lesson Plans

• The Constitution: Drafting a More Perfect Union
  Analyze George Washington's annotated copy of an early draft of the Constitution. (Grades 9-12)
• The Bill of Rights: Debating the Amendments
  Examine the twelve amendments sent to the states and vote on which ten to ratify. (Grades 6-12)
• The U.S. Constitution: Continuity and Change in the Governing of the United States
  Examine the Constitution and link early legislative debates to issues of today. (Grades 6-12)
• The Constitution: Counter Revolution or National Salvation?
  Identify arguments for and against the ratification of the Constitution. (Grade 9-12)
• George Washington: First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen
  Explore Washington's leadership in forging a new nation. (Grades 9-12)

Library of Congress Online Collections

• Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, 1774-1789
• A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation
• The James Madison Papers
• George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress 1741-1799
• The Thomas Jefferson Papers 1606-1827

Search these collections using the words "Constitution," "Constitutional Convention," "Continental Congress" "Bill of Rights," or "Constitutional Amendments" to find related documents.

Webcasts

• The Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution. Linda R. Monk discussed her book, The Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution (Hyperion, 2003), at the Library of Congress.