DAR celebrating Constitution Week for over 65 years

The Daughters of the American Revolution, Wild Horse Chapter, are celebrating Constitution Week, Sept. 17-23. Today, Sept. 17, marks the 233rd anniversary of the drafting of the Constitution of the United States.

A proclamation honoring the anniversary was recently approved.

All DAR chapters across the nation and abroad, have been celebrating Constitution Week ever since they petitioned the U.S. Congress in 1955, 65 years ago, to dedicate the week of Sept. 17-23 each year to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution. The resolution was adopted and signed into law on Aug. 2, 1956, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

This year marks the 233rd anniversary of the U.S. Constitution, the oldest constitution still in use today. It is the basis of the country's republic, which protects the individual liberties of all citizens through written law, DAR members noted in a press release.

"American colonists fought, sacrificed and died to establish and preserve the freedoms now guaranteed to us by the Constitution of the United States," chapter members said in a press release. "In these uncertain times it is important to recognize and understand the two most important documents of our Nation, the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution."

The power of the documents' words, written so long ago, are still just as important to American citizens today as they have been through years past.

"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

"This is the Preamble to our Constitution, which is probably the portion Americans are most acquainted with and unfortunately the furthest most Americans have knowledge of," chapter members said, adding a quote by James Madison: "A well instructed people alone can be permanently a free people."

"The teaching of American history should not be considered complete without having an in-depth and careful study of our Constitution thus giving all American citizens a better understanding of our great heritage and the responsibility we have to preserve, protect and defend it," they said, adding a quote by Thomas Jefferson: "Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. Enable them to see that it is their interest to preserve peace and order, and they will preserve them."

The DAR is dedicated to promoting and preserving history, education and patriotism, and Constitution Week is just one of the many ways they do this. The local Wild Horse Trail Chapter, NSDAR invite the public to view the Constitution Week display at the East Bonner County Library and Boundary County Library as well as encouraging all to get to know the U.S. Constitution during this celebration, which continues through Sept. 23.

Information: wildhorsetrail.weebly.com