Constitution Day
Celebrated on September 17, Constitution Day honors the document that guarantees Americans their essential rights. Since its ratification in 1787, the Constitution of the United States has served as the basis for all U.S. laws, and at MIT we are proud to support the observance of Constitution Day.
Why Constitution Day is important
The Constitution inspired others
192
Number of countries that have constitutions based on the U.S. Constitution
It provides our most important rights
10
Number of amendments in the Bill of Rights, which was the basis of American liberty
The people can change it
27
Number of times the U.S. Constitution has been amended throughout history
Make sure your voice is heard
Register to vote
Voting is the most effective way for your voice to be heard locally, state-wide, and nationally. Register to vote using the MITvote website. It takes five minutes or less!
Get involved
MITvote is seeking volunteers to help run registration drives and social media accounts, answer questions, plan events, and much more. If you are passionate about civic engagement or are looking to get more involved in government and politics, consider joining!
Show your civic pride!
Stop by Student Financial Services to pick up a pocket Constitution.
Learn more
Read the Constitution
The Constitution acted like a colossal merger, uniting a group of states with different interests, laws, and cultures. Under America’s first national government, the Articles of Confederation, the states acted together only for specific purposes. The Constitution united its citizens as members of a whole, vesting the power of the union in the people. Without it, the American Experiment might have ended as quickly as it had begun.
Constitution Day resources
The National Constitution Center has lots of different ways to explore and learn about the Constitution, from podcasts to videos to games. Their nonpartisan interactive site has allowed learners of all ages to engage with the text of the Constitution, discover how experts agree and disagree about its history and meaning, and explore arguments on all sides of the constitutional debates at the center of American life.
Test your knowledge
Take these quizzes to see how much you really know about the Constitution, and relax afterward with everyone’s favorite Schoolhouse Rock jam.