September 17, 2024
On September 17, please join us in recognizing Constitution Day and Voter Registration Day!
How did the U.S. Constitution come about, and why did it succeed?
On September 17, 1787, delegates to the Constitutional Convention adopted the United States Constitution. Broken into seven articles, the Constitution defines the form and function of the American government. Articles one through three embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, whereby the federal government is divided into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress; the executive, consisting of the president; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts, and established the Electoral College.
Articles Four, Five, and Six describe concepts of federalism—the rights and responsibilities of state governments and the states in relationship to the federal government.
Article Seven establishes the procedure used by the thirteen states to ratify the Constitution. Want to learn more? You can read about each of these articles and the 117 days of work by the Founding Fathers that led to their creation here.
Have you registered to vote?
Early voting deadlines in some states will begin soon, ahead of the November 5 general election. Eligible citizens must register to vote to cast their ballots on local, state, and national levels. As we mark Voter Registration Day, we encourage you to explore and share the state-by-state resources in the Citizen’s Guide to the General Election, which includes voter registration information, election deadlines, and key races.
