Rockhurst University unites with schools around the country by celebrating Constitution Day on September 17.

This day commemorates the September 17, 1787 signing of the United States Constitution. Written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789, the U.S. Constitution is the world's longest surviving written charter of government. Its first three words - We the People - affirm that the government of the United States exists to serve its citizens.

Constitution Day Background

To encourage all Americans to learn more about the U.S. Constitution, Congress in 1956 established Constitution Week, to begin each year on September 17, the date 1787 in which the U.S. Constitution was signed. In 2004, the late Senator Robert C. Byrd included key provisions in the Consolidated Appropriation Act of Fiscal Year 2005 designating September 17 of each year as Constitution Day, and requiring school and governmental offices to provide educational programs to promote a better understanding of the U.S. Constitution.