By Tanja Clendinen, JMI Communications Director
Over the last few weeks as the Institute prepared for our annual Constitution Day celebration, I enjoyed gathering various tidbits and trivia about this venerable document. Now the actual day has arrived, and every birthday party needs music and games–here are a few of my favorites:JMI’s Twitter followers and Facebook fans have been enjoying (I hope!) multiple incarnations of the preamble. My top three favorites:
School House Rock musical preamble for nostalgic reasons
Captain Kirk’s preamble recitation for his passion
We the People preamble montage for visually embodying the meaning of “We the People”
JMI’s indefatigable interns (thanks Chelsea and George!) tracked down a laundry list of fun facts. My top three favorites:
The Senate originally proposed that the President be addressed as “His Highness the President of the United States of America and Protector of their Liberties;” however, both the House of Representatives and the Senate compromised and ultimately agreed upon “President of the United States.”
At 4,400 words, the United States Constitution is the oldest and shortest written constitution of any major government in the world.
During the day, pages one and four of the Constitution are displayed in a bullet proof case, and at night they are stored in a vault behind five ton doors that are designed to withstand a nuclear explosion. The entire Constitution is displayed on only one day a year: Constitution Day!
So today, 223 years after its birth, have a little fun with history and learn a bit more about one of America’s pivotal founding documents.
