The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Second Continental Congress in 1777 and went into effect in 1781. They were soon found inadequate for smooth governmental operations, particularly as they related to the functioning of the federal government. As a result, a Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17,…

At the beginning of every school year at Park Forest Elementary School (PFE), it is customary for teachers to invite their students to participate in establishing guidelines for behavior and citizenship in their respective classrooms. Teacher Lorraine McGarry and principal Donnan Stoicovy began the 2012-13 school year, however, by taking this…

"Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Constitution" is an engaged-learning activity that has been conducted in 26 classes over the past four years. The activity teaches multiple themes commonly included in a variety of courses on American politics such as federalism, congressional powers, the role of the federal courts, and the relevance of the commerce…

This guide contains resources gathered by the Department of the Army to celebrate the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. Within the document, there are brief historical facts about: (1) the Constitutional Convention; (2) the early years of the Constitutional government; and (3) the U.S. Army of the 1780s and 1790s. There are also condensed…

The preservation of liberty was Richard Dobbs Spaight's political lodestar while he firmly supported an effective central government and fought for the Bill of Rights. This booklet on Spaight is one in a series on Revolutionary War soldiers who later signed the U.S. Constitution. The booklet reviews covers his youth in Ireland, his military…

Exhibiting the characteristic of self-reliance vital for survival on the American frontier, William Few, a self-educated man and lawyer, had natural abilities that included leadership and organization, and these abilities led him into a long political career. This booklet on Few is one in a series on Revolutionary War soldiers who later signed the…

A Quaker who set aside his strong pacifist beliefs, Thomas Mifflin helped to organize Pennsylvania's military forces at the outset of the Revolutionary War and rose to the rank of major general in the Continental Army. This booklet on Mifflin is one in a series on Revolutionary War soldiers who also signed the U.S. Constitution, and it covers his…

Like many immigrants to the American colonies, Thomas Fitzsimons demonstrated his devotion to his adopted land by helping to defend it during the Revolutionary War. This booklet on Fitzsimons is one in a series on Revolutionary War soldiers who signed the U.S. Constitution, and it covers his political involvement in Philadelphia's (Pennsylvania)…

An officer in the Continental Army, Nicholas Gilman served on George Washington's staff through the dark days of Valley Forge to the final victory at Yorktown, and this experience made him a strong supporter of the U.S. Constitution. This booklet on Gilman is one in a series on veterans of the Revolutionary War who were also signers of the U.S.…

Throughout a lengthy public career, Rufus King employed his considerable diplomatic and oratorical skills to promote the twin causes of nationalism and civil liberty, fighting in the last decade of his life to extend those liberties to the nation's enslaved black minority. This booklet on King is one in a series on veterans of the Revolutionary…

Jonathan Dayton's practical approach to government evolved out of his military experiences during the Revolutionary War, and he became a supporter for the equal representation of the small states. This booklet on Dayton is one in a series on Revolutionary War soldiers who signed the United States Constitution. It covers his early life, his…

As a scholar of international renown, Hugh Williamson came into contact with some of the leading intellectuals of the patriot cause and their political ideas transformed him into an adroit politician and leader. This booklet on Williamson is one in a series on Revolutionary War soldiers who later signed the U.S. Constitution. The booklet reviews…

Although the second youngest person of those who would sign the U.S. Constitution, Charles Pinckney stood out as one of the most active members of the Constitutional Convention, and over 30 of the U.S. Constitution's provisions can be traced to his pen. This booklet on Pinckney is one in a series on Revolutionary War soldiers who later signed the…

Although his father was an illiterate blacksmith, Abraham Baldwin demonstrated how academic achievement opened opportunities in colonial society, and he later became a fervent missionary of public education. This booklet on Baldwin is one in a series on Revolutionary War soldiers who signed the U.S. Constitution. The booklet reviews his education,…

As a wealthy international trader, John Langdon contributed his highly developed business acumen during the Revolutionary War to the problem of supplying the Continental Navy. This booklet on Langdon is one in a series on veterans of the Revolutionary War who were also signers of the U.S. Constitution, and it covers his business affairs and…