Today is the final day of Constitution Week, but the Constitution is a document that deserves thought and attention every day!  So just because the week is over, don’t stop looking for ways that the Constitution can interact with your daily life!

Did you know that the Constitution of the United States is the shortest one in the world? The document drafted in 1787 totaled 4,400 words. The entire original document takes up four pages, each one measuring about 29 by 24 inches (73 by 60 centimeters). With the signature section, there are 4,543 words, and including all of the amendments brings the total up to 7,591.

And did you also know that nowhere in the Constitution is the word “democracy” used? The government established by the Founders is a republic, a system of government in which the people elect representatives to do the governing for them!

Speaking of the Constitution, there’s an essay competition out there for students to write about the Bill of Rights!

Today’s fact about the writing of the Constitution is:

The Constitutional delegates met in secret, behind locked doors with sentries guarding the doors. The press was not allowed to attend. The windows were kept closed despite high temperatures and high humidity. Six days a week, for more than three months, they discussed, debated and voted all day in a hot, stuffy, closed room.  The reason for the secrecy was due to the fact that the delegates were sent to revise the Articles of Confederation, not draft a whole new government.  They were concerned that if word of what they were doing were to leak, they would be called home.  So technically, what they were doing could be seen as illegal!  When asked about that possibility, George Washington said: “The legality of this Convention I do not mean to discuss…. That powers are wanting, none can deny…. That which takes the shortest course to obtain them, will, in my opinion, under present circumstances, be found best. Otherwise, like a house on fire, whilst the most regular mode of extinguishing it is contended for, the building is reduced to ashes.”

Did you know you can have the Constitution on your iPad? Go to:  https://itunes.apple.com/app/u.s.-constitution-and-facts/id391169491?mt=8 to download this free copy of the Constitution of the United States of America. Supreme Court Justices travel with a copy wherever they go, and now you can too!

Happy Constitution Day! On this day in 1787, the Constitution was signed by 39 representatives from the states who chose to send representatives to the Convention. The oldest person to sign the Constitution was Benjamin Franklin (81). The youngest was Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey (26).

Today’s Constitution Day came about because of the efforts of Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, who said when arguing for the creation of the day: “…September 17 is more important to our everyday lives than Columbus Day, more important to our everyday lives than Thanksgiving, more important to our everyday lives than the Fourth of July…” You can read the full text of his speech at the byrdcenter.org’s website linked up here.

There’s a national Preamble Challenge today.  To participate, record yourself reciting the Preamble to the Constitution (below) and post it to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or social media of your choice! Use the hashtag #ConstitutionDay2014 or #preamble or #preamblechallenge.  Looks like at least a million other people are doing it today. You should too!  There are also hundreds of special naturalization ceremonies going on around the nation to welcome our newest citizens!

The Preamble is 52 words, and it reads: “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Today’s Constitution Fact:

James Madison was the only delegate to attend every meeting of the Constitutional Convention. He took detailed notes of the various discussions and debates that took place during the convention. The journal that he kept during the Constitutional Convention was kept secret until after he died. It (along with other papers) was purchased by the US government in 1837 at a price of $30,000 (roughly $629,000 today). The journal was published in 1840. That journal is the only record we have of the Convention!

Did you know you can get the Constitution on your iPad or iPhone? Go to: https://itunes.apple.com/app/u.s.-constitution-and-facts/id391169491?mt=8 to download this free copy of the Constitution of the United States of America

A great site for information about the Constitution is http://constitutioncenter.org/constitution-day/, where there are links to information about the signers of the document, and suggestions for what you can do on Constitution Day.

The Social Studies Department is proud to off a course in collaboration with the Language Department: Classical Roots! Check out the video, and sign up for this course!

Students in AP World History should visit the class blog at: http://whittensclass.blogspot.com/2013/06/ap-world-summer-assignment.html

Students taking AP Psychology, should visit the class wikispace at: http://burlingtonappsychology.wikispaces.com/home

Students taking AP US history should see Mr. Carr for the summer work assignment.

Each year the AP World History students enter into a competition known only as May Madness, where they do a blind draw to become different leaders from World History and battle their way to become the greatest leader of all time. Don’t see your favorite here this year?  Check back next year!

The brackets will be posted here and updated, and if you want to play the bracket to see how much you think you know about different leaders, you can play Round One by clicking the links for each period.  As they get winnowed down, check back for updated brackets!  Let the Madness begin!

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