#OnThisDay in 1789, President George Washington succeeds in getting the First Congress to recognize the U.S. Army under the terms of the new Constitution. Read #ConstitutionDaily to learn more:

#OnThisDay in 1948, Eleanor Roosevelt, who redefined the role of First Lady, delivers a speech in support of the Declaration of Human Rights, connecting human rights to America’s constitutional tradition. Read an excerpt in the #FoundersLibrary:

#OnThisDay in 1787, the congress under our first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, agrees to submit a new #Constitution to the states, an act that would render that legislative body obsolete.

On #PursuitPodcast, Lindsay M. Chervinsky talks about John Adams’ critique of oligarchy with Jeffrey Rosen. Watch and listen to #PursuitPodcast:

#OnThisDay in 1789, George Washington appoints Thomas Jefferson as the first U.S. Secretary of State. Learn more about the first Secretary of State and third U.S. president from this past episode of #AmericasTownHall:

#OnThisDay in 1789, Congress passes amendments that will become the Bill of Rights. Explore how the first 10 amendments became a part of the U.S. Constitution on our online exhibit:

#OnThisDay in 1789, the First Congress makes a highly anticipated move in arguably the most important congressional session in history, when it agrees on a list of constitutional amendments known as the #BillOfRights.

In a new three-part series, #ConstitutionDaily recaps landmark cases that have defined free speech rights in the press and popular media, from the Colonial era until today. Part one covers controversies from the founding until the Civil War’s end. Read now:

#OnThisDay is 1755, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Marshall, is born in Germantown, VA. Listen to a conversation with Marshall’s biographer, Richard Brookhiser, discussing Marshall’s legacy:

#OnThisDay in 1862, in what became known as the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, President Abraham Lincoln publicly states that if Confederate states didn’t return to the Union by January 1, 1863, slaves in those territories would be freed.

#SCOTUS Justice Amy Coney Barrett reflects on the importance of disagreeing with ideas rather than people and the ability of the #USConstitution to be amended. Listen to #WeThePeoplePodcast: ow.ly/Gt0Z50WZyuE#SCOTUS#USConstitution

We've convened leading scholars to examine Article V of the Constitution—the mechanism for amending our nation’s founding charter. Explore the project, featuring essays by Michael Rappaport, Stephen Sachs, Gerary Magliocca & Sanford Levinson: ow.ly/aG3550WZzmA

#OnThisDay in 1780, Revolutionary War hero Benedict Arnold turns his back on his country in a secret meeting with a top British official. So how did Arnold, with his patriot’s pedigree, become the most hated man in America? Read #ConstitutionDaily:

Visitors celebrated #ConstitutionDay by exploring how the ideals of liberty, equality, and self-government and continue to shape our story today with programs ranging from a Story Hour for young learners to an #AmericasTownHall conversation with #SCOTUS Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

#OnThisDay in 1796, a Philadelphia newspaper publishes one of the greatest documents in American history: George Washington’s Farewell Address. Here are five lessons we can learn from the first president about communicating:

What does the Constitution say about free speech on the airwaves? Recent comments from comedian Jimmy Kimmel and his show’s suspension on ABC have brought attention to a #FirstAmendment debate about broadcast television stations. Read #ConstitutionDaily for more:

#OnThisDay in 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act is signed into law as part of the Compromise of 1850. You can view a printing block that was used to advertise runaway slaves in newspapers in our exhibit #CivilWarAndReconstruction. Credit: Courtesy of Angelo Scarlato

The #Constitution is our nation’s most enduring document, but not everything you read online about the Constitution is accurate. Here are some of the top myths about the Constitution and the Founding Fathers still out there. #ConstitutionDay

What are the similarities and differences between the constitutions of the United States and Mexico? Learn more about these important documents on #AmericasTownHall this #HispanicHeritageMonth:

As we look toward 2026, what does it mean to live under a Constitution that was designed as a charge for each generation to study, debate, & uphold its principles? @lmchervinsky.bsky.social & Julie Silverbrook address this question: ow.ly/n7Rw50WXzgp

#OnThisDay in 1857, William Howard Taft, the only former U.S. Solicitor General to become president, is born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Read #ConstitutionDaily for 10 fun facts about a truly unique American figure who led two branches of government:

We’re celebrating the Constitution’s birthday with a day full of fanfare! View a full schedule of our #ConstitutionDay programs: ow.ly/3gsn50WRRb4#ConstitutionDay Visit with FREE admission courtesy of @pecoconnect.bsky.social

#OnThisDay, the Congress of the Confederation sets the dates for the election of a president and the transition to a Congress under the new Constitution, effectively agreeing to shut itself down as a legislative body in March 1789. Read more on #ConstitutionDaily:

#OnThisDay in 1958, a unanimous #SCOTUS declines a Little Rock School District request to delay by more than two years the desegregation mandated by the Court’s 1954 #BrownVBoard ruling. Read #ConstitutionDaily to explore this historic moment:

#OnThisDay in 2001, terrorist attacks carried out against the United States would become the catalyst for a slew of court cases that would test the boundaries of the Constitution as the nation struggled to find a sense of safety in the post-9/11 world.

Find everything you need to explore the founding documents and the enduring vision they set in motion. Check out the Interactive Declaration of Independence and America at 250 Civic Toolkit, two new resources from @ConstitutionCtr. Learn more: ow.ly/EAgQ50WU9xo

Jaci Jones of the @constitutionctr.bsky.social reflects on her path into civic education, how to approach teaching the Constitution with honesty and care, and the lessons it offers for understanding Japanese American incarceration and other moments when rights were denied: densho.org/catalyst/edu...

Join #SCOTUS Justice Amy Coney Barrett for a special #ConstitutionDay conversation reflecting on her journey to the Court and offering a glimpse into her role (and daily life) as a justice. Register for #AmericasTownHall: ow.ly/kUa850WPLNF

#OnThisDay in 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopts a new name for what had been called the “United Colonies.” The moniker United States of America has remained since then as a symbol of freedom and independence.

#OnThisDay in 1974, President Gerald Ford pardons former President Richard Nixon. Learn more about the pardon power by checking out our online exhibit:

Test your #ConstitutionDay knowledge! Visit with FREE admission & compete to win prizes in a historically-themed Quizzo. Free food. Cash bar for 21+. Register for Sept.13, 5 p.m. ET: ow.ly/PjXH50WRR1Y#ConstitutionDay

During #ConstitutionDay Story Hour little learners and their families will hear stories about the revolutionary era, the writing of the Constitution, and more. Admission is FREE courtesy of PECO. ow.ly/VA9G50WRRiK#ConstitutionDay

On the eve of #ConstitutionDay, join Akhil Reed Amar to explore the transformative amendments that redefined freedom, equality, and voting rights in the post–Civil War era. Register for #AmericasTownHall: ow.ly/l51550WPLGs

Did you know that for 13 hours in 1901 the office of president technically remained vacant? #OnThisDay the popular President William McKinley is shot at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo. Read the full story on #ConstitutionDaily:

#OnThisDay in 1774, the first Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to consider its reaction to the British government’s restraints on trade and representative government after the Boston Tea Party. Read #ConstitutionDaily for more:

#OnThisDay in 1951, President Harry Truman gives a speech during the first transcontinental television broadcast. The speech would outline the acceptance of a treaty to end America’s post-World War II occupation of Japan. Learn 10 more interesting facts about Truman:

#OnThisDay 1838, Frederick Douglass escapes from slavery. Find out how with #ConstitutionDaily:

As the celebration of America’s 250th nears, @constitutionctr.bsky.social invites you to explore the words that define us, the debates that shape us, and the principles that unite us. Discover more with #OurStoryContinues: ow.ly/XkIX50WQmj2

Can the marriage of “two great ideals…democracy and racial equality” survive #SCOTUS? Marcia Coyle marks John Roberts Jr's 20th anniversary as Chief Justice and contemplates the Court's near future for #ConstitutionDaily: ow.ly/OJU850WPPAN

A new 12-part podcast from the National Constitution Center and @prx.org, #PursuitPodcast debuts Sept. 8. Host Jeffrey Rosen will explore how America's founders understood personal growth as essential to common good. 🎙️ Follow now: ow.ly/mFB850WPzXO

#OnThisDay in 1789, President George Washington signs into law an act creating the Treasury Department. A constitutional debate about federal powers remains with us today. Read #ConstitutionDaily to learn more:

The first Monday in September is celebrated nationally as Labor Day. So how did we get the holiday and why is no one quite sure who created it? Read #ConstitutionDaily to discover the story of #LaborDay:

#OnThisDay in 1772, a hurricane that disfigured the Caribbean island of St. Croix led 17-year-old Alexander Hamilton to emigrate to America. Read more about the storm he said was "sufficient to strike astonishment into angels" on #ConstitutionDaily:

Here’s a glimpse of how we spent the summer preparing 800+ educators to bring the Constitution to life for students across the nation this school year! #NCCed

#OnThisDay in 1967, the Senate confirms Thurgood Marshall as the first Black person to serve as a Supreme Court justice. Learn about Marshall's legacy. Read #ConstitutionDaily:

#OnThisDay in 1786, a popular uprising begins in Massachusetts. Shays’ Rebellion was one of several critical events that led to the calling of a #ConstitutionalConvention the following year in Philadelphia. Learn more on #ConstitutionDaily:

#OnThisDay in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gives his famous “I Have A Dream” speech as part of the March on Washington. #MLK #IHaveADream How much do you know about the speech and the events that led up to it?

Hear president and CEO Jeffrey Rosen join @steveinskeep.bsky.social for a conversation on President Trump’s executive order that seeks to punish people who burn the American flag. Listen now on @npr.org: ow.ly/27jc50WMP45

Why do we celebrate #WomensEqualityDay on August 26 each year? Learn the fascinating history of this holiday:

#OnThisDay in 1920, the 19th Amendment is signed by the U.S. secretary of state and officially goes into effect. See a ribbon worn by a woman after she cast her first vote in our exhibit, #HowWomenWonTheVote. Credit: Collection of Ronnie Lapinsky Sax