Constitution Week Sept 17-23: What Do You Know About Our Constitution?

The members of the Sarah Riggs Humphreys-Mary Silliman Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) wish to remind everyone of the signing of the Constitution of the United States 236 years ago.

We often hear someone say "That's unconstitutional" or "That's my constitutional right!" Many times Americans believe that sayings and phrases are in our Constitution, but they really aren’t.

Did you know that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal" and "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” are not in the Constitution, but are in the Declaration of Independence? And this quote, "Of the people, by the people, for the people" is neither in the Constitution nor the Declaration, but comes from the Gettysburg Address.

Let us celebrate Constitution Week September 17-23 by resolving to be better-informed and responsible citizens. Read the Constitution! To see the actual documents and learn more visit https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution For additional insights and the history of our Constitution visit https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution

Seven Articles make up the Constitution:

Article 1 – The Legislative Branch.

Article II – The Executive Branch.

Article III – The Judicial Branch.

Article IV – States, Citizenship, New States.

Article V – Amendment Process

Article VI – Debts, Supremacy, Oaths, Religious Tests

Article VII – Ratification

Amendments – There are 27 amendments to the Constitution, beginning with the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments ratified December 15, 1791.

Did you know that the Constitution does not give the right to have cases heard by a jury of “my” peers? The Constitution does not have the words “separation of church and state” anywhere in it. The only crime that is defined in the Constitution is treason. Specifically, it is adhering to or giving comfort to the enemies of the United States.

Did you know that you cannot be denied the right to vote because of race or gender? But remember, the Constitution never clearly ensures us the “right to vote.” The 26th Amendment requires that 18 year-olds must be able to vote; however, states can allow persons younger than 18 to vote if they chose. The qualifications for voters are left to the states, as long as they do not conflict with anything in the Constitution. In some states, felons who are in prison or on probation are denied the right to vote. It is important to exercise your right to vote at local, state, and national elections so that those elected will honor the Constitution and what it stands for.

The right to privacy has come to the public's attention through various Supreme Court rulings. Privacy is not specifically mentioned in the Constitution, but over the years the Supreme Court has made decisions that have established that the right to privacy is a basic human right and as such is protected by virtue of the 9th Amendment.

Our Constitution, the cornerstone of our freedoms, was written to protect every American from the abuse of power by government. The Fifth Amendment states that "No person shall be ... deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law” and it protects us from double jeopardy and incrimination. However, the phrases “innocent until proven guilty" and “presumption of innocence” are not found in the 5th amendment nor in any part of the Constitution. These phrases are derived from English law and are part of our system and considered common law today.

The U.S. Constitution is the oldest constitution still in active use in the world today and is the basic document of our republic, which protects the individual liberties of all citizens through written law. American colonists fought, sacrificed, and died to establish and preserve the freedoms now guaranteed to us by the Constitution of the United States. We must protect these rights through diligence and our willingness to defend the Constitution.

The DAR perpetuates the memory and spirit of the men and women who won American independence. Any woman who is lineally descended from an ancestor who aided the patriot cause during the American Revolution may be eligible to join. The DAR is a nonprofit lineage society focused on historical preservation, community education and patriotism. For more information visit www.sarahriggshumphreysDAR.org