Palm Beach Atlantic (PBA) University is hosting Constitution Day on Thursday, September 17, 2026, to educate its students about the monumental day in the country’s history.
Over the past 250 years since its founding, there have been numerous notable days in the history of the United States of America.
Independence Day, commonly referred to as July 4, may be the most popular— celebrating the birth of America, when Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, which declared the 13 colonies free from British rule.
Constitution Day, however, September 17, is another defining moment in the country’s history. It celebrates the signing of the Constitution and the birth of the American government. The day is also known as Citizenship Day, recognizing all who have become U.S. citizens through birth or naturalization.
Honoring America’s Founding Document Through Student Engagement
PBA sophomore dance major, Annandra Ramkissoon, is one of the student organizers of the event tasked with gathering documents, collaborating with the events team to get the necessary materials, and encouraging students to sign up. Ramkissoon wants Constitution Day to serve as a reminder.
“Constitution Day is such a great reminder of the rights and liberties all Americans have,” she said. “I wanted to put together an event where everyone of any age and background would remember how the Constitution reminds us of these and that we are one nation under God. My hope for this event is that everyone will be motivated to read the Constitution with other important documents and continue being proud of our country!”
Associate Professor of Politics and Politics Department Chairman, Dr. James Todd echoes the significance of the event for the youth.
“It is important to teach the younger generation about the Constitution because they are going to be citizens of this republic,” said Dr. Todd. “They need to know something about it to exercise citizenship responsibly! If we don’t know how the system is supposed to operate, how can “we the people” provide meaningful accountability to those who govern over us? We don’t control the government; it controls us.”
The Founding Principles That Shaped the United States Government
The U.S. Constitution, which was written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789, replaced the Articles of Confederation, the first written constitution that governed the 13 colonies from 1781-1789.
“Many of the Founders viewed this document as an inadequate basis for national unity, given how weak the government was under the Articles,” said Dr. Todd. “The Constitution was ratified to strengthen the national government at the expense of the states.”
The Constitution is the world’s longest surviving written agreement of government and aimed to establish the fundamental framework, rules, and limits for the federal government while protecting the basic rights of American citizens. It begins with the famous three words, “We the People,” stating that the government exists to serve its citizens. The Constitution is comprised of the Preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments, the first 10 of which are called the Bill of Rights.
“The founders created a republic where the people could be represented in the national government,” said Dr. Todd. “This is the basis for American democracy. Another value is separation of powers in the three branches of national government, with checks and balances in place to protect each branch from the other two. Lastly, the founders wanted to balance the power of the national government against state power carefully. No level of government – national or state – would have total power.”
PBA’s Constitution Day event will take place on Thursday, September 17, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. inside the Lassiter Student Center.
To learn more about PBA’s politics program, click here.
