In July, we celebrated the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. There is still much to celebrate!
On September 17, 1787, delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the final draft of the Constitution of the United States of America.
We had become a new nation on July 4, 1776, when the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. As a new nation, we fought a war for more than eight years to secure the independence we had declared. Though we won the war, Britain did not take us seriously as a nation. We were divided along state lines, with each state seeking its own self-interest. We were not a united nation, though we called ourselves united..
The Continental Congress had tried to unite us under the Articles of Confederation, but the Articles had failed to unite us. The delegates who came together in Philadelphia in 1787 were originally there to amend the Articles of Confederation.
From the debates held at the convention, the representatives ended up creating a new form of government, informed by the successes and failures of the past. These men gave us the Constitution of the United States.
This was a unique document that limited the powers delegated to the government by the people. These wise men gave us this document to secure our God-given liberties. Then each state ratified the new Constitutional form of government, helping to unite the states.
We live in the 21st century. Why celebrate an old document written in the 18th century?
I have contemplated this as my mind reviewed the history of governments, economic structures, religion, and education. So many notions I wish to correct, but a blog post will not suffice. I do feel that the birth of the Constitution of the United States is worth celebrating, as a citizen, as a family, as a community, and as a nation.
For centuries, many people of other nations have flowed to the U.S. to secure these liberties for themselves and their posterity. In America, people can own their own land, access education, and start their own businesses. The prosperity and principles of the United States have raised the standard of living around the world.
Have you read the Constitution recently?
Have you studied the Constitution with your family?
7 Ways to Celebrate Constitution Day with your Family
Enjoy your Constitution Day celebration. You don't need to do everything listed, but there are enough choices to fit most family dynamics.
1. Preamble of the Constitution of the United States of America
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Learning ideas:
- Read and discuss the meaning of the Preamble to the U. S. Constitution.
- Practice penmanship by transcribing the U. S. Constitution.
- Memorize the Preamble to the U. S. Constitution.
2. Learn & Sing Yankee Doodle
Yankee Doodle was an old tune with new lyrics created by British surgeon Richard Shuckburgh to mock the colonial soldiers during the French and Indian War. The song was later used by the British to mock the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
The song implied that American soldiers were simpletons, cowardly, and womanly. As the Continental Army began to win battles, an American Colonial Minuteman, Edward Bangs, reworked the lyrics, creating 15 verses, and colonial soldiers began to sing this satirical song on the battlefield.
Yankee Doodle was played by the Americans at British General John Burgoyne's surrender at the Battle of Saratoga, New York. Marquis de Lafayette ordered that Yankee Doodle be played at the surrender of British General Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown.
Learning ideas:
3. Celebrate with a Good Old Fashioned Colonial Treat
During the colonial era, homemade ice cream was a delicacy in the colonies. Our first president, George Washington, loved ice cream. During his second summer as president, he spent about $200 on ice cream, which would be about $6,440.00 today!
Donna's Homemade Double Chocolate Almond Ice Cream
This makes a double batch, and we make it in a 6-quart ice cream maker. This recipe can be halved for a smaller freezer.
Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups heavy whipping cream (straight cream without thickeners and without carrageenan is best; check local dairies and health food stores for pure heavy whipping cream)
2 teaspoons vanilla
Double Chocolate Ice cream:
8 ounces Hershey’s syrup
8 ounces Hershey bar with almonds (chopped)
Directions for Making Ice Cream:
Heat milk, sugar, and eggs, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar and keep the eggs well mixed in as they cook. Thicken until it clings to the spoon and is thick. Strain.
Cool in a bowl over ice, stirring to keep the mixture mixed and to aid cooling.
When cool, add to the ice cream maker container, place the dasher in, and add the rest of the ingredients.
Cap the ice cream maker and pack ice and salt around the can. Turn on the ice cream maker, or start cranking.
When ice cream is ready, pack into an airtight container and let ripen in the freezer.
Options:
Chopped nuts
Raspberry Ice Cream:
2 pints of whole frozen or fresh raspberries, rinsed. (Can use any type of edible berry.)
Lightly mash the berries after draining them, otherwise they will freeze in the ice cream and become hard chunks.
Do not let the berries sit to let berry juice come from the berries. This can add ice crystals to the ice cream, making it grainy. When you add the berries, do not add the juice. Some juice will come from the berries during the freezing process. This will impart a soft pastel color. Some people add a few drops of food coloring to impart a deeper color.
Peppermint Ice Cream
Add 3/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract along with the vanilla in the recipe above. Add 3/4 cup of crushed candy canes or striped peppermint starlight candies.
I love peppermint ice cream and think it is refreshing in the summer, yet the stores carry it as a Christmas flavor! Peppermint extract is not peppermint oil. Use the extract in this recipe.
Non-Dairy, No-Sugar-Added Alternative Ice Cream
Mash or puree bananas and pour into a parchment-lined bread pan and freeze.
Add-ins:
Cocoa powder can be blended into the banana puree for a chocolate flavor.
Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or huckleberries can be blended into the bananas before freezing. This fruit dessert can be scooped or sliced like ice cream.
4. Watch "A More Perfect Union: America Becomes a Nation"
This movie is a realistic and well-performed dramatic reenactment of the Constitutional Convention, its debates, challenges, and the creation of the Constitution of the United States..
To watch "A More Perfect Union: America becomes a Nation," CLICK HERE
5. Read the Constitution Aloud
The U.S. Constitution is relatively short. It was printed on six sheets of broadsides, one-sided pages to be posted for people to read. This activity is suited for school-aged children through adults.
To read the U.S. Constitution, CLICK HERE.
6. Read the Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers were actually letters to the editor by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison, under the pseudonym Publius.
This is not a one-day or one-evening activity. This may be a great study to launch on Constitution Day.
They used these letters to try to convince the people of New York to ratify the Constitution. There were 85 Federalist Papers, written between May 1787 and December 1788. These letters were responded to by the Anti-Federalists.
I suggest you read and discuss both the Federalist and the Anti-Federalist Papers. This is not a one-evening activity.
To read the Federalist Papers and the responses by the Anti-Federalists:
CLICK HERE for the Chronology.
CLICK HERE for the Federalist Papers Full text.
CLICK HERE for the Anti Federalist Papers.
7. Write Your Own Family Constitution
This will be easier if you read the real U.S. Constitution and the Federalist Papers before you start. Note what each Article of the Constitution covers.
Constitution Day is an event worth celebrating!
Enjoy the journey!