Beech Tree News Network

Bells will be ringing all over the nation on September 17th in celebration of the signing of the draft of the Constitution of the United States of America. Ours was the first written Constitution for any nation. Its chief aim was to create a government with enough power to act on a national level and establish the Bill of Rights. It addressed the problem of a weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation. After the signing of the Constitution the delegates rang Liberty Bell in Philadelphia for one minute. 

This year marks the two hundred and thirty-seventh anniversary of the momentous event. September 17-23 was designated as Constitution Week in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in response to a petition brought by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Constitution Week commemorates the formation and signing of the magnificent document that is the backbone of our Republic and is an opportunity to pause and recognize the efforts that so many gave in order to create this nation. 

The purpose of Constitution Week is to promote study and education about the United States Constitution which was originally adopted by the American Congress of the Confederation on September 17, 1787, over ten years after the signing of the famous Declaration of Independence. That event is celebrated every year on the national holiday known as the Fourth of July. According to Laura Crafton, librarian of the Butler County chapter of the DAR, Constitution Week serves as a reminder of the principles of freedom that we live with daily throughout the year and often take for granted.

So, what can you do? Take a few minutes to remember those who fought and died for our blessed freedom. Talk to a veteran and find out what the Constitution means to them. Study up on some of the historical events that led to the framing of the constitution. Reflect your own responsibility as a citizen to protect and defend the Constitution. And get out your bells and join in ringing them for one minute at noon on Tuesday, September 17th 2024.

By:  Kathy Douglas