Two hundred twenty-five years ago, American colonists first heard they were American citizens of their own nation, no longer subjects of the King of England. A hot, humid blanket lay over Philadelphia in what some said was the worst summer since 1750. Fifty-five delegates struggled to give birth to a plan of government titled, “The Constitution of the United States of America.” They met at the Philadelphia State House on May 25 for four months, On Sept. 17, 1776, 39 men signed the Constitution. We now celebrate Constitution Week, Sept. 17-23.

Our founding fathers believed in the right to live and work free from tyranny. Today, we watch people throughout the world battle for the rights we take for granted. Celebrate Constitution Week by becoming more informed citizens. Read the Constitution; fly the American flag all week. Ring your bells at 4 p.m. on Sept. 17, the time the Constitution was signed.

Victoria Kapp on behalf of the Princeton Chapter Illinois National Society Daughters of the American Revolution