by Ambassador Callista L. Gingrich and Speaker Newt Gingrich

Almost 240 years ago in Philadelphia, 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. Eleven years after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, this historic event marked an important milestone for our remarkable experiment in self-government.

Symbolically, the signing of the U.S. Constitution was the reward for years of toil and bloodshed in the Revolutionary War. It sent a signal to the world that the principles of freedom, liberty, and elected government would prevail. In a more practical sense, it was the official start of the United States government.

For more than two centuries, states and local governments recognized Constitution Day in various ways. Some named it “I am an American Day” or “Citizenship Day.” However, it was not federally recognized until 2004, when former Sen. Robert Byrd offered the Constitution Day amendment to the fiscal year 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act.

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