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Today, Sept. 17, is Constitution Day.
On Sept. 17, 1787, our nation's founders signed the The Constitution of the United States of America that established our system of government. Congress then sent printed copies of the Constitution to the state legislatures for ratification. In the months that followed, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay would write the Federalist Papers in support, while Patrick Henry, Elbridge Gerry, and George Mason would organize the opposition to the new Constitution. By June 21, 1788, nine states had approved the Constitution, finally forming "a more perfect Union."
The anniversary of this defining moment in American history will be celebrated nationwide by United States citizens on Monday, Sept. 18.
On Sept. 17, 1787, the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention held their final meeting. Only one item of business occupied the agenda that day, to sign the Constitution of the United States of America.
Since May 14, 1787, the 55 delegates had gathered almost daily in the State House, Independence Hall in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. By the middle of June, it became apparent to the delegates that to merely amend the Articles of Confederation would not be sufficient. Instead, they would write an entirely new document designed to clearly define and separate the powers of the central government, the powers of the states, the rights of the people and how the representatives of the people should be elected.
No matter how much we argue about the details of its meaning today, in the opinion of many, the Constitution signed in Philadelphia on Sept. 17, 1787 represents the greatest expression of statesmanship and compromise ever written. In just four hand-written pages, the Constitution gives us no less than the owners' manual to the greatest form of government the world has ever known.
We have no tribal council, nor can we vote anybody off the island. But, we do live in the land of the free, and as long as the Constitution stands, we always will. 9-16-06
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© 2006 North
Country Gazette
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