September 17th is Constitution Day! To celebrate, we are featuring some of the library's resources on the United States Constitution, and also sharing fun facts and websites for you to visit!
"The need for the Constitution grew out of problems with the Articles of Confederation, which established a “firm league of friendship” between the States, and vested most power in a Congress of the Confederation. This power was, however, extremely limited—the central government conducted diplomacy and made war, set weights and measures, and was the final arbiter of disputes between the States. Crucially, it could not raise any funds itself and was entirely dependent on the States themselves for the money necessary to operate. Each State sent a delegation of between two and seven members to the Congress, and they voted as a bloc with each State gets one vote. But any decision of consequence required a unanimous vote, which led to a government that was paralyzed and ineffectual.
A movement to reform the Articles began, and invitations to attend a convention in Philadelphia to discuss changes to the Articles were sent to the State legislatures in 1787. In May of that year, delegates from 12 of the 13 States (Rhode Island sent no representatives) convened in Philadelphia to begin the work of redesigning government. The delegates to the Constitutional Convention quickly began work on drafting a new Constitution for the United States." -- The White House
Listen to the US Constitution and all 27 Amendments read to you. Click on the sections you wish to hear or download the entire recording of the US Constitution to your computer or device. You may also download the recording of the Amendments.
The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia met between May and September of 1787 to address the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation. The United States Constitution that emerged from the convention established a federal government with more specific powers, including those related to conducting relations with foreign governments.
Under the reformed federal system, many of the responsibilities for foreign affairs fell under the authority of an executive branch, although important powers, such as treaty ratification, remained the responsibility of the legislative branch. After the necessary number of state ratifications, the Constitution came into effect in 1789 and has served as the basis of the United States Government ever since. -- U.S. Department of State: Office of the Historian
Read more here and here!
"One of the principal points of contention between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists was the lack of an enumeration of basic civil rights in the Constitution. Many Federalists argued, as in Federalist No. 84, that the people surrendered no rights in adopting the Constitution. In several States, however, the ratification debate in some States hinged on the adoption of a bill of rights. The solution was known as the Massachusetts Compromise, in which four States ratified the Constitution but at the same time sent recommendations for amendments to Congress.
James Madison introduced 12 amendments to the First Congress in 1789. Ten of these would go on to become what we now consider to be the Bill of Rights. One was never passed, while another dealing with Congressional salaries was not ratified until 1992 when it became the 27th Amendment. Based on the Virginia Declaration of Rights, the English Bill of Rights, the writings of the Enlightenment, and the rights defined in the Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights contains rights that many today consider to be fundamental to America." -- The White House
In short, it protects free speech, religious freedom, and the rights of people accused of a crime, among other things. Here is a fun way to learn more!
Did you know that the library also has a Bill of Rights? Check it out by clicking HERE!
The first public printing of the Constitution appeared on Wednesday, September 19, 1787, in the "Pennsylvania Packet, and Daily Advertiser". In the year 2021, there was a rare first printing of the U.S. Constitution sold at an auction to Kenneth Griffin for $43.2 million. Kenneth is a CEO of the Citadel Investment Group and was said to have loaned the document to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. Read more about this exchange HERE and see a picture of it HERE.
The Constitutional Convention by 
The Constitutional Convention Of 1787 by 
Constitutional Journal by 
The Declaration of Independence by 
The Framers' Coup by 
The Lives of the Constitution by 
The United States Constitution by Click here to see more books in the library about the Constitution!
(1) Constitutional Amendments (Oxford Companion to American Law)
(2) Constitutions, United States (Oxford Companion to American Law)
(3) The Oxford Companion to the United States Supreme Court (2nd edition)
This is a book dealing with the fodder of constitutional history—the cases and decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States, perhaps the leading judicial tribunal in the world today. The Guide analyzes on an individual basis the 440 most important cases in the Court's history. (Introd.)
(4) U.S. Constitution (Encyclopedia of African American History, 1619-1895: From the Colonial Period to the Age of Frederick Douglass)
(5) African Americans and the Constitutional Convention (Encyclopedia of African American History, 1619-1895: From the Colonial Period to the Age of Frederick Douglass)
(6) The U.S. Constitution (in the News Spotlight)
Newspaper coverage and links to documents on the U.S. Constitution. News, viewpoints, images, links to other websites.
Browse through the videos available on AVON or Kanopy (NICC users and library visitors only)
Additional Videos
(1) Constitution USA (with Peter Sagal)
Does the Constitution have what it takes to keep up with modern America? Join Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! as he hits the road to find out. Traveling across the country by motorcycle, Sagal is in search of where the U.S. Constitution lives, how it works and how it doesn’t… how it unites us as a nation, and how it has nearly torn us apart.
Episode 1: A More Perfect Union
Episode 2: It's A Free Country
Episode 3: Created Equal
Episode 4: Built to Last
Don't forget to vote if you would sign the Constitution given the chance!
