Constitution Day

Constitution Day commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution. This guide provides links to educational resources and and scholarship focused on this foundational government document.

The signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, by delegates to the Constitutional Convention, established America’s national government and fundamental laws. At the 1787 convention delegates formulated a plan for a stronger government establishing three branches – Executive, Legislative and Judicial – along with a system of checks and balances ensuring no single branch would have too much power.  In 1956, President Eisenhower signed into law Constitution Week which runs September 17-23, to commemorate the ratification of the Constitution. Any educational institution that receives federal funding is required to hold an educational program about the U.S. Constitution for its students

The UC Davis Library celebrates this important day in our nation's history and encourages all to learn more about the Constitution by exploring these resources.

As an illustration of the variety of recent scholarship on the Constitution, as well as its enduring influence on life in the United States, here is a list of some recent books about various aspects of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Amendments. (Click on the titles to read the full catalog record.)