Although we celebrate July 4th as the date of our independence from England, we also commemorate September 17. That is the date in 1787 that the Framers signed the U.S. Constitution, marking the beginning of our system of constitutional government.

By commemorating Constitution Day, we celebrate the rule of law, the system that has served this country for 220 years. The Constitution was effectively ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to vote approval.

The Constitutional Convention that met in Philadelphia during the hot summer months of 1787 was a contentious gathering with small states disagreeing with large states over representation, and conflicts arising between delegates who advocated a strong central government and those who favored states rights. A series of compromises created consensus among the delegates.

They agreed on two legislative chambers, one whose members are apportioned according to population - the House of Representatives - and the other where each state has two members - the Senate. They made provisions for a central, or federal, government to be strong enough to carry out the role of governing a nation and left other matters to the individual states.

The Framers of the Constitution, nearly two-thirds of whom had legal backgrounds, agreed on a government with three equal branches balanced so that no one branch could ever gain control over the other two. Thomas Jefferson praised the U.S. Constitution for creating a form of government that governs itself through the checks and balances that limit the government's power.

Lawyers have a special relationship with the Constitution. They affirm their support for the laws of the United States established by the Constitution so that support for the law becomes the guiding principle of the profession.

Today, everyone in the United States follows laws established by the Constitution and at the same time enjoys rights that it guarantees.

As Constitution Day approaches this year, members of the ___________ Bar Association remind you of the importance of the U.S. Constitution to our heritage and in our lives today. We invite you to visit www.abaconstitution.org for educational resources on the Constitution.

© 2007 American Bar Association