Smart conversation from the National Constitution Center
On June 13, 1866, the House approved a Senate-proposed version of the 14th Amendment, sending it to the states for approval. Two years later, the ratified statement became a constitutional cornerstone.
On June 12, 1967, the Supreme Court issued its Loving v. Virginia decision, which struck down laws that banned inter-racial marriages as unconstitutional. Here is a brief recap of this landmark civil rights case.
On June 11, 1776, the Second Continental Congress asked five delegates to write the draft version of the Declaration of Independence. This excerpt from Jeffrey Rosen and David Rubenstein's pamphlet from our “Constituting Liberty” exhibit puts the Declaration of Independence in context, including Thomas Jefferson's role.
On June 10, 1968, the Court ruled that a police officer may stop and search a citizen on the street if the officer has "reasonable suspicion" that the citizen is armed or involved in a crime.
On June 9, 1969, a near unanimous Senate confirmed federal judge Warren Burger as Chief Justice of the United States, starting a 17-year tenure marked by landmark Court decisions.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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.
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia inspires active citizenship as the only place where people across America and around the world can come together to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. Learn more at constitutioncenter.org