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What Constitution Day Means and Why It Matters Kathleen Hall Jamieson University of Pennsylvania, [email protected]

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What Constitution Day Means and Why It Matters Kathleen Hall Jamieson University of Pennsylvania, Kjamieson@Asc.Upenn.Edu University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Departmental Papers (ASC) Annenberg School for Communication 2014 What Constitution Day Means and Why it Matters Kathleen Hall Jamieson University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers Part of the Social Influence and Political Communication Commons Recommended Citation Jamieson, K. H. (2014). What Constitution Day Means and Why it Matters. Social Education, 78 (4), 160-164. Retrieved from https://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers/738 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers/738 For more information, please contact [email protected]. What Constitution Day Means and Why it Matters Disciplines Communication | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Social Influence and Political Communication This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/asc_papers/738 Social Education 78(4), pp 160–164 ©2014 National Council for the Social Studies Looking at the Law What Constitution Day Means and Why it Matters Kathleen Hall Jamieson As John Stuart Mill noted in his treatise on Representative Government, individuals noted Franklin Burdette, the executive who constitute a nationality “are united among themselves by common sympathies secretary of the National Foundation for which do not exist between them and any others” and also by “the possession of a Education in American Citizenship, in national history, and consequent community of recollections....”1 To create national 1942, “the recognition program involves identity, societies designate occasions in which their members recommit themselves not only a day of impressive ceremonies to basic communal values. Labor Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Presidents for the induction of first voters but also a Day and Martin Luther King Day are among the holidays performing these functions preliminary period of classes or forums in the United States. to study national and local governmen- tal machinery and problems as well as For almost three quarters of a century, observed, “It is said to be the practice democratic ideals and customs.”6 On advocates have worked to give compa- of certain patriotic societies to celebrate that occasion in 1944, Attorney General rable federal stature to September 17, the seventeenth of September—the day Francis Biddle told an audience in Ohio the day on which we celebrate the anni- on which the Constitution was signed that more “foreigners” had become citi- versary of the 1787 signing of the U.S. by the members of the convention—as zens in the past year than in any year Constitution by the nation’s founders. ‘Constitution Day.’” He then asked, since naturalization began.7 As President John F. Kennedy noted in “Why should not this excellent prac- As in other fronts of the war effort, his 1961 Constitution Day proclamation, tice be made universal?”4 That year, the news and entertainment indus- it is a day for “ceremonies” set up to the governors in 20 states proclaimed tries were called on to do their part to “inspire all our citizens to keep the faith September 17th Constitution Day. By promote “I Am An American Day.” A of our Founding Fathers and to carry out one estimate more than 20,000 celebra- 16-minute Warner Brothers 1944 film, the ideals of United States citizenship.”2 tions took place in churches, schools and I Am An American, featured newsreel The need was explained by President public venues across the nation.5 In 1939, clips of Hollywood stars making patri- Ronald Reagan in 1981. “While a consti- Wisconsin took an additional step by otic appeals.8 A surviving newsreel tution may set forth rights and liberties,” directing local schools to sponsor a day from 1945 notes that more than a mil- he noted, “only the citizens can maintain of citizenship education. lion New Yorkers gathered in Central and guarantee those freedoms. Active Unsurprisingly, each of the federal Park to celebrate the day by welcom- and informed citizenship is not just a steps taken to institutionalize such a ing new naturalized citizens as well as right; it is a duty.”3 After briefly chroni- day in 1940, 1952, 1965, and 2004 those who had assumed the duties and cling the evolution of Constitution Day occurred when nationalistic sentiments responsibilities of citizenship by turn- and defending the value of educating were running high and loyalty was a ing 21.9 The Central Park commemora- students about this founding document, matter of special concern. In each case, tion, in particular, presents an interesting I will note ways that social studies teach- the country was either contemplating constitutional lesson. As Burdette noted, ers can translate the ideals articulated by entering or already engaged in war. As “both the language of the joint resolution Kennedy and Reagan into their class- World War II raged in Europe in 1940, and many public utterances connected rooms and into the lives of the nation’s Public Resolution 67 (54 Stat. 178) des- with it tend to foster the misimpression future leaders this September 17th. ignated the third Sunday in May each that the native-born become citizens year as Citizenship Day and specified only when they are of age.”10 Instead, of The Origins of Constitution Day that it would be known as “I Am An course, Section One of the Fourteenth and Citizenship Day American Day.” Amendment states that “All persons born In 1919, attorney Walter Evans Hampton “When most effectively organized,” or naturalized in the United States, and Social Education 160 Students gather around the National Constitution Center’s replica printing press from the 1700s, where they can print a copy of the Preamble. (Courtesy of the National Constitution Center. Visit constitutioncenter.org, for Constitution Day les- son plans and other free resources.) subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are the designation of September 17 to To the security of a free consti- citizens of the United States and of the “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day” tution it contributes in various State wherein they reside.” By 1949, gov- and added both the requirement that ways—by convincing those who ernors of all, then, 48 states issued “I Am federal agencies provide their employ- are intrusted [sic] with the public An American Day” proclamations. ees with educational materials about administration that every valu- In 1952, Congress repealed Public the Constitution and one stipulating able end of government is best Resolution 67 and passed a new piece that educational institutions receiving answered by the enlightened of legislation, which moved “I Am An federal funds do the same for their stu- confidence of the people, and by American Day” to September 17, which dents.12 Byrd’s reasoning was straightfor- teaching the people themselves was the day the Constitution was signed. ward. “September 17 is more important to know and to value their own The day was renamed “Citizenship Day.” to our everyday lives than Columbus rights; to discern and provide In a Citizenship Day address, President Day, more important to our everyday against invasions of them; to Truman expressed the hope that “the cer- lives than Thanksgiving, more important distinguish between oppression emonies and the activities here today will to our everyday lives than the Fourth and the necessary exercise of launch an annual celebration that will of July.”13 lawful authority; … to discrimi- increase in meaning and influence among nate the spirit of liberty from that our people as the years go by.”11 Thirteen Importance of Understanding the of licentiousness—cherishing years later, in 1965, Congress extended Constitution the first, avoiding the last—and the period for commemoration from The notion that the citizenry should uniting a speedy but temperate one day to one week. “Citizenship Day” understand the country’s founding vigilance against encroachments, on September 17 became “Constitution documents is long lived. For George with an inviolable respect to the Week,” beginning September 17 and Washington, knowledge was “the sur- laws.14 ending September 23. At the urging est basis of public happiness…” In 1790, Unsurprisingly then, Tocqueville of West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd the first president’s annual message to would observe in nineteenth century (D), in 2004, Congress then changed Congress argued: New England, “every citizen receives September 2014 161 the elementary notions of human knowl- found just under seven in ten twelfth resolution; 16% thought it needed edge; he is taught, moreover, the doc- graders reporting that they had stud- to be sent back to the lower courts. trines and the evidences of his religion, ied the U.S. Constitution in that year.19 the history of his country, and the lead- Evidence gathered by the Annenberg Our September 2013 Annenberg study ing features of its Constitution.”15 The Public Policy Center is consistent with confirmed the results of our earlier work belief in the importance of understand- that uncovered by NAEP. Some of our and offered compelling evidence that ing the Constitution survives in recent unsettling findings include: civics education and knowledge matter. times. In a 2003 Annenberg survey, As in the past, we found that having taken members of the public, parents, teach- a civics course in high school predicted ers and school administrators reported a knowledge of our system of govern- high level of public agreement about the ment. Those with an understanding of civic functions of public schooling. Over such basics of American government as half agreed that it is “absolutely essential” checks and balances were less likely to or “very important” that fourth graders believe that judges should be impeached understand that the rules of American or court jurisdiction stripped when government are established in a docu- unpopular rulings are handed down. At ment called the Constitution and can the same time, they were more likely to give an example of a right protected by reject the notion that under some circum- the Constitution.
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