CONSTITUTION Week

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Citizenship Day, September 17
Constitution Week, September 17 - 23

In remembrance of the signing of the Constitution and in
recognition of the Americans who strive to uphold the duties and
responsibilities of citizenship, the Congress has designated
September 17 as "Citizenship Day," and requested that the
President proclaim the week beginning September 17 and ending
September 23 of each year as "Constitution Week."
www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution/constitution-day.html

Resource: Constitution Day Pack
Contains free DVD ("A More Perfect Union") about the
Constitution, posters and storyboards, Constitution booklets, and
24 Freedom Gallery Images. $29.95 (reg. $140). Order item
#DVD174. 1-877-917-1787. www.RootsOfFreedom.org

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Comments on the Constitution
by George W. Bush
President of the United States of America


The following are excepts from the President's past
Citizenship Day and Constitution Week Proclamation.

Today, we marvel at the wisdom of the Framers who toiled
through a long summer of learned and contentious debates.
Their work produced a document that upholds high ideals,
while answering the most practical questions of governance. The
charter they crafted -- with its separate branches of Government,
enumerated powers, checks and balances, and later the specific
protections provided by our Bill of Rights -- guides our Nation
and inspires others around the world.

Twin Foundations
As the delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in
Philadelphia began working on what would become the United States
Constitution, they grasped that a great democracy must be built
on the twin foundations of
• National consent to a Federal Government and
• Respect for individual rights.

Balance of Powers
In creating our Nation's Constitutional framework, the
Convention's delegates recognized the dangers inherent in
concentrating too much power in one person, branch, or
institution.
They wisely crafted a Government that balanced the functions
and authority of a Federal system among three separate but equal
branches:
• The Executive,
• The Legislative,
• The Judicial.
As a further check on central power, the Framers granted
citizens the right to vote, giving them the power to express
their political preferences peacefully and thereby to effect
change in the Government.
The Convention delegates ratified the Constitution on
September 17, 1787, and submitted it to the States for approval.

Bill of Rights
After much deliberation and discussion at the State level,
the following two concerns emerged from among those who feared
the Constitution's proposed centralization of Federal power:
• The threat of tyranny; and
• The loss of local control.
To address these fears, our Founders amended the
Constitution by adding a Bill of Rights.
These ten amendments provided a series of clear limits on
Federal power and a litany of protective rights to citizens.
Today, our Nation celebrates the longest-lived written
Constitution in world history.

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Fulfill Your Patriotic
Education Responsibility!
National Flag Foundation's Young Patriots
program. Assignments, exploration, learning
games. Unrevised, inspiring American history.
[e-mail]. Special homeschool pricing.

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Studying the Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the foundation of
our American Government. As the supreme law of the land, no law
may be passed that contradicts its principles, and no person or
government in the nation is exempt from following it.
• Read, study and discuss the Constitution with your students.
www.constitution.org/constit_.htm
• Read the Constitution along with explanations at
www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm.
• See Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Students at
bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/documents/constitution/index.html.
• Compare the Bill of Rights and the Magna Carta at
www.billofrights.com.

The First Amendment
The First Amendment to the Constitution does not include the
phrase "separation of church and state." Nowhere does it suggest
that Christianity cannot be heard in the public square.
The first act of the United States Congress was to authorize
the printing of 20,000 Bibles for the Indians. Read more at
www.christiananswers.net/q-sum/sum-g001.html.

Judicial Interpretation of the Constitution
The subject of constitutional interpretation is a valid and
practical concern today that will reach into many areas of our
life for years to come. It is very much in the news with the
confirmation hearing for Supreme Court chief justice nominee John
Roberts.
Two competing viewpoints have emerged:
1. To follow the original intent of the Constitution
2. To allow judges to interpret the Constitution as they will.

• Read "A Tale of Two Constitutions" by David Barton at
www.wallbuilders.com/resources/search/detail.php?ResourceID=118.
• Read more about the problems today in our judicial system
at www.family.org/cforum/judicial_tyranny.
• Pray for the Lord's will in the appointments to the Supreme
Court.
• Read daily updates on the confirmation process at
www.reclaimamerica.org/Pages/News/newspage.asp?story=2908.
• Volunteer to help out in Washington, D.C., this week by e-mailing
[e-mail].

Naturalization Self Test
Could your children (or you) pass the test to become a
citizen? Included are such questions as:
• In what year was the Constitution written?
• What do we call a change to the Constitution?
• What is the Bill of Rights?
• Can the Constitution be changed?
Test your knowledge of United States History and the
structure of our government on this easy-to-use online question
and answer interactive site.
uscis.gov/graphics/exec/natz/natztest.asp.

The Federalist Papers Online
www.foundingfathers.info

Civics Education Courses from HSLDA
Including: Founding Fathers, Introduction to Constitutional
Law, The Federalist Papers, Declaration of Independence.
www.generationjoshua.org/dnn/Default.aspx?tabid=125

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Government Series
The Teaching Home Newsletters #66-68 addressed the topic of
teaching about governments in general and the United States
government in particular.
This series offers much practical information, Internet
links for further study, and application for Christians. It
would make an excellent study for Constitution Week, Sept. 19-23.
Following is an outline of what each issue contains.

Newsletter Issue #66: Introduction to Government
1. What and How To Teach
2. The Biblical Basis of Government
3. Forms of Government
www.teachinghome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_66.cfm

Newsletter #67: United States Government
1. We are a Republic, not a Democracy
2. The Constitution
3. The Three Branches of Government; Checks and Balances
4. Distribution of Government Powers
5. How a Bill Becomes a Law
6. Our Heritage of Freedom; Our Christian Heritage
www.teachinghome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_67.cfm

Newsletter #68: Our Responsibilities in Government
1. The Spiritual Aspect of Political Action
2. Political Action
3. Guidelines for Any Lobbying Effort
www.teachinghome.com/newsletters/vol_2-no_68.cfm

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Biblical Principles: Basis for America's Laws
Excerpted and reprinted by permission from an article
by Charles and Cindy Meek, Faith Facts

Christians believe that the Bible offers ultimate, objective,
and absolute truth. There was a general consensus on this point
in America from the earliest settlers until only very recently.
So it was natural for the early Americans to turn to the Bible
for guidance as to how to make civil law. This was the standard
for law beginning with the Mayflower Compact all the way through
the constitutions of all 50 states.

State Constitutions
For example, the first state constitution was the Fundamental
Orders of Connecticut (1639). You may read this document at
www.law.ou.edu/hist/orders.html.
The framers of this document desired that every aspect of
it be based on the Bible. This document was a model for other
constitutions including the U.S. Constitution which followed it.
(See other Preambles to State Constitutions at
www.bible.com/answers/aamerica.html. -- editors)

Rule of Law
Another aspect of our system of government is that it is
based on the Rule of Law. This concept is a direct descendant
of Hebrew law and the Ten Commandments.
Together with the concept of inalienable rights from God,
these concepts helped ensure a way of life that respected the
dignity of every individual.

The True Nature of Man
Another important aspect of America's constitution is that
it has as its basis the distinctly Christian idea that man is
basically sinful. Every one of our founding fathers understood
this truth. The result was that the founders built into the
Constitution an elaborate system of checks and balances.
This is evident in the horizontal plane of executive,
legislative, and judicial branches of government. It is also
evident in the vertical plane of federalism -- states' powers
versus federal powers.
Some other systems are based on the idea that man is
basically good, or at least perfectible by law and education.
But states based on these utopian ideas are always failures
and particularly repressive to their citizens. These governments
end up as police states and take away the rights of their citizens.
See a chart of the influence of Biblical thought on America's
legal system at faithfacts.gospelcom.net/cul_bible.html.

Resources from American Vision
• "Did George Bush Lie About America Being Founded on Christian
Principles?" by Gary DeMar
www.americanvision.org/articlearchive/02-09-05.asp
• American History and Government Articles Archive
www.americanvision.org/historyarchive.asp
• "America's Christian Heritage" by Gary DeMar
www.americanvision.org/christianheritage.asp

Resources from Wall Builders
Online articles and excellent resources.
www.wallbuilders.com
Read the testimonies of Paine, Franklin, Washington,
Hamilton, Jefferson, and Madison online at
www.wallbuilders.com/resources/search/detail.php?ResourceID=29.
Read "Republic v. Democracy" by David Barton at
www.wallbuilders.com/resources/search/detail.php?ResourceID=4.

DVDs or Videos on Our Christian Heritage
• "America's Godly Heritage"
www.christiananswers.net/catalog/america-vs.html
• "A Nation Adrift"
www.christiananswers.net/catalog/nation-vs.html

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Constitution Day and
Constitution Week
Theme Unit

www.edhelper.com/Constitution_Day.htm

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conservababes.com/constitution/