The National Constitution Center

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.

Powerful words, the culmination of efforts that began in 1776.  The ideals of the Enlightenment, that the authority to govern comes, not from divine Providence, but from the consent of the governed. 

The National Constitution Center is a museum devoted to the United States Constitution, how it was drafted and adopted, how it was interpreted and amended, how it delegates authority to all three branches of government.

The main gallery shows the hsitory of the constitution, starting with the Constitutional convention, and walks you through all eras of American history to show how the Constitution affected our government, and how social and political movements affected the Constitution.

A few law books -- looks like a homework assignment I had back in law school.


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Yes, those are Federal Reporters, the books that contain decisions  written by Federal court judges.


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In the Signer's Room, you will find statutes of each of the men who signed the Constitution at the Constitutional convention.


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Dr. Franklin, I presume.

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My favorite exhibit was the temporary display about Prohibition, how the Constitution was changed by the 18th amendment, and how the 21st Amendment repealed the 18th.  The social and political movements that addressed America's drinking problem, the responses to Prohibition, and the politicking that  created, and later repealed, Prohibition.

Carry Nation and her hatchet:


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The Volstead Act:



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Inside a Speakeasy:


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We learned about bootleggers and rum runners, and how the culture of the 1920's was so very different from what had gone before.

I got to pose with gangsters!



An interesting and worthwhile museum, we both enjoyed it.

Comments

  1. Prohibition is a fascinating topic. I can see why they thought it would be a good idea. Of course, such sweeping changes rarely take hold. Ah, history...

    ReplyDelete
  2. I find things about any socitey is interesting...
    Coffee is on

    ReplyDelete

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