Constitution Week: Honoring the Blueprint of American Democracy

September 14, 2026

Every year from September 17 to September 23, Constitution Week marks a vital moment in our national story. Kicking off with Constitution Day and Citizenship Day on September 17—the anniversary of the document’s signing in 1787—this week offers a dedicated time to reflect on the core principles, rights, and responsibilities that define American democracy.

Whether you are a lifelong civic enthusiast or simply looking to reconnect with the foundations of our government, this observance is an ideal opportunity to explore how this living document continues to shape daily life.

A great resource for learning more during this observance is The Constitution of the United States and The Declaration of Independence (Pocket Edition). Available through the official U.S. Government Bookstore, this compact booklet contains the full text of both founding documents. It serves as a practical, portable way to review the framework of our national government, the division of powers, and the exact processes required for ratification and amendment.

Ways to Get Involved

  • Read the Founding Documents: Pick up the official pocket edition or access digital primary sources through the National Archives to engage with the original text directly.
  • Engage in Educational Programs: Participate in local community debates, historical lectures, or school workshops focused on civic literacy and constitutional history.
  • Explore Online Resources: Utilize digital tools, historical archives, and educational guides provided by national civic organizations to deepen your knowledge of the Bill of Rights.
  • Start a Civic Conversation: Discuss key constitutional themes—such as the system of checks and balances—with family, friends, or colleagues to keep meaningful dialogue active.
  • Practice Active Citizenship: Use the week as a prompt to register to vote, research upcoming local ballot initiatives, or volunteer with civic organizations.

By honoring Constitution Week, we do more than look back at 1787; we actively uphold the habits of self-governance necessary to sustain American democracy for generations to come.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From the US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publications and Information Sales Office.

Images and additional content provided by Government Book Talk Editor Trudy Hawkins. Trudy is the Senior Marketing & Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Office, supporting the U.S. Government Online Bookstore (https://bookstore.gpo.gov).

4 Comments | Civics and Citizenship, Congress, U.S. History | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

“Out of Many, One”: Citizenship and the Constitution

September 17, 2014

September 17 is Constitution Day, thanks to the efforts of the late Senator Robert C. Byrd, who always carried a copy with him on and off the floor of the Senate. Last year, I blogged about the various editions of the Constitution available as Government publications. This time around, I’ve been thumbing through another publication that helps to put the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and a variety of other documents, speeches, and even songs and poetry, into the bigger picture of what it means to be – or become – an American citizen.

The Citizen’s Almanac: Fundamental Documents, Symbols, and Anthems of the United States, a handsome and very useful little book from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services correctly states that “both native-born and naturalized citizens will find important information on the rights and responsibilities associated with United States citizenship.” It’s an extremely useful collection of songs (The Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful, God Bless America), poems (The Concord Hymn, I Hear America Singing, The New Colossus), symbols (the Great Seal of the United States, including an explanation of that impressive but somewhat mystifying “pyramid with an eye in it” device), complete texts or extracts from notable American speeches (the Gettysburg Address, John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream, Ronald Reagan’s Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate), notable Supreme Court decisions (Marbury v Madison, Brown v Board of Education) and much more.

Although the complete text of the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and other documents are not included, the brief sections on each put them into context so readers can perceive the continuum of American democracy through time. For new and aspiring citizens, a series of brief biographies of famous Americans who were not born in the U.S. makes for interesting reading. In the entertainment world alone, how many of us think of Marlene Dietrich, Bob Hope, and Celia Cruz in their roles as citizens of the Republic?

The Citizen’s Almanac is a terrific, well-illustrated source for all kinds of information about American history and citizenship. It’s also an interesting read and a book that’s perfect for Constitution Day or any other day when you need information about this country of ours. You can browse through The Citizen’s Almanac here, buy a single copy or a package of 25 for schools and civic organizations, or locate it at a library.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS PUBLICATION?

In addition to clicking on the links in the article above to find the publication, you may find this publications from the following:

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy this and other print publications related to citizenship (with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide) from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore website at http://bookstore.gpo.gov:

Order by Phone: You may also order print editions by calling GPO’s  Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

About the author: Adapted by Trudy Hawkins, Writer and Marketing Specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Division in Washington, DC, from an original post by James Cameron, former Government Book Talk Editor in support of the U.S. Government Online Bookstore (http://bookstore.gpo.gov).

4 Comments | Teachers and teaching, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by govbooktalk