Celebrate Liberty

www.northcarolinalions.org

The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America; the Federal Government of the United States; and all the state and local governments and Territorial Administrative bodies contained therein. It provides the framework for the organization of the United States government. The document defines the three main branches of the government: The legislative branch with a bicameral Congress, an executive branch led by the President, and a judicial branch headed by the Supreme Court. Besides providing for the organization of these branches, the Constitution carefully outlines which powers each branch may exercise. It also reserves numerous rights for the individual states, thereby establishing the United States' federal system of government. It is the shortest and oldest written constitution of any major sovereign state. The United States Constitution was adopted on September 17, 1787, by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and later ratified by conventions in each U.S. state in the name of "The People"; it has since been amended 27 times, the first 10 amendments being known as the Bill of Rights.

The Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain were now independent states, and thus no longer a part of the British Empire. Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration is a formal explanation of why Congress had voted on July 2 to declare independence from Great Britain, more than a year after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. The birthday of the United States of America—Independence Day—is celebrated on July 4, the day the wording of the Declaration was approved by Congress. After finalizing the text on July 4, Congress issued the Declaration of Independence in several forms. It was initially published as a printed broadside that was widely distributed and read to the public. The most famous version of the Declaration, a signed copy that is usually regarded as the Declaration of Independence, is on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. According to most historians, Congress signed this document on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4, as is often believed.

Celebrate Liberty

North Carolina Observance

TO BE ANNOUNCED

The Multiple District 31 Celebrate Liberty Committee is working to secure a date, time and place for the 2010 observance. An announcement is expected to be made at the quarterly Council of Governors' meeting in November.

Events

Program

Resources

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all."

Inside the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom at the National Archives in Washington DC visitors can view the original Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

The National Archives in Washington DC is the permanent home of the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and other important documents in American history.

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Committee Chairperson

Mike Covell

mjcovell@bellsouth.net

Barack Obama

President

Beverly Perdue

Governor