Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
Friday, September 17, 2021, 8:00 AM CDT
Category: Events
On September 17, 1787, the Founding Fathers signed the U.S. Constitution. For the past 225 years, the Constitution has served as the supreme law of the land. The Constitution, along with the Bill of Rights and other amendments, define our government and guarantee our rights. Each year, on September 17, Americans celebrate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. In addition, September 17-23 is also recognized as Constitution Week. During this time, USCIS encourages Americans to reflect on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and what it means to be a U.S. citizen.
We also recognize people who are taking steps to become U.S. citizens. To help them prepare, USCIS offers study resources for the civics and English portions of the naturalization interview and test. The Constitution and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship are important in the United States and prospective citizens may see these items in several places on the naturalization test. There are many questions on the civics test on these two topics, such as, “What is the supreme law of the land?” and “What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?”.
For Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, we want to highlight some of the USCIS resources for learners and teachers that are related to this important day.
Learners
USCIS has educational materials to help you learn about the United States and prepare for the naturalization process.
Teachers
In addition to the products highlighted above, USCIS offers free online tools and materials for educators and volunteers. Some examples include:
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Lesson Plans and Activities Visit this page to find lesson plans, student handouts, and answer keys on a variety of topics, including beginning level lessons on Benjamin Franklin and the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights and Other Amendments, Fighting for Our Rights, and Your Government and You. An intermediate level lesson on the U.S. Constitution is also available.
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Famous Americans on the Civics Test (PDF, 1.15 MB) Downloadable 8.5" x 11" portraits and flash cards of 12 Americans highlighted on the civics test with teaching strategies for supplementing your lessons.
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Adaptable Teaching Tools (PDF, 162.84 KB) Activity ideas to help students practice what they learn in class.
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Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship This web resource, described above, also has a “Teachers” section with teacher guides. The guides provide strategies and handouts for each theme. For Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, be sure to visit the teacher guides on “Writing the Constitution”, “Voting”, “Rights”, and “Responsibilities”.
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Practice Tests for the Naturalization Interview In addition to the three online practice tests for students described above, there are downloadable supplementary materials with suggested ideas for classroom use to help you prepare your students for the naturalization interview.
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A Promise of Freedom: An Introduction to U.S. History and Civics for Immigrants This 12-minute film focuses on the history and founding of our nation and the important rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. Accompanying the video is a discussion booklet that aims to encourage discussion and review of the basic concepts of American democracy outlined in the film.
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Guide to the Adult Citizenship Education Content Standards and Foundation Skills: A Framework for Developing a Comprehensive Curriculum (PDF, 181.92 KB) This guide provides content and progress standards for the Pre-Interview, Interview and Test, and Post-Interview phases of the naturalization process. It assists program administrators and teachers in developing a citizenship curriculum and thematic lessons, choosing textbooks, and creating effective learning activities.
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