The National Constitution Center
Source: https://constitutioncenter.org
Archived: 2026-04-23 15:36
The National Constitution Center
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Start your constitutional learning journey
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The Interactive Declaration
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Watch videos of recent programs
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Constitution 101 With Khan Academy
Explore our new course that empowers students to learn the Constitution at their own pace.
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Buy Tickets
Address
525 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215.409.6600
Get Directions
Hours
Loadin...
Open Now
America’s Founding
New Exhibit
Coming Soon: Governing the Nation
Opening to the public on Friday, May 15,
Governing the Nation
explores how power is divided among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, how each branch is empowered to check the others, and how authority is shared between the national government and the states.
Learn More
The National Constitution Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate.
Explore the Constitution
Constitution 101 Curriculum
Browse Teaching Resources
Take a Virtual Tour
Museum Open Wednesday-Sunday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Plan Your Visit
525 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215.409.6600
Hours & Admission Rates
Location, Directions & Parking
Museum Map
At the Museum
Experience the Constitution through rare artifacts, historic documents, interactive galleries, and live programming.
Plan Your Visit
Now Open
America's Founding
Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary year with a dynamic, interactive exploration of the American Revolution and the creation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Now Open
The First Amendment
This exhibit offers a fresh perspective on the history of the First Amendment and how it impacts us today.
Explore Constitutional Topics
Executive Power
14th Amendment: Citizenship
The Founders
At the Court
Executive Power
The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.
Podcast
President Trump’s Executive Orders
Examining the legal and constitutional stakes of the president’s actions
Blog Post
Can a president refuse to spend funds approved by Congress?
Shortly after President Donald Trump took office, his administration briefly paused federal spending on various programs. Although that spending has been restored, the move led to questions about the separation of powers between the president and Congress.
Blog Post
Defining the president’s constitutional powers to issue executive orders
Among the most powerful tools available to the president are executive orders, which are written policy directives issued by the president with much of the same power as federal law. However, such orders are not explicitly defined in the Constitution and rest on historical practice, executive interpretations, and court decisions.
14th Amendment: Citizenship
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.
Blog Post
A look back at the Wong Kim Ark decision
President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to redefine birthright citizenship has cast a new light on a landmark Supreme Court decision, United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898).
Podcast
Does the Constitution Require Birthright Citizenship?
Professors Akhil Amar and Edward Erler debate the president’s proposal to revoke birthright citizenship, diving into the history of the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause with host Jeffrey Rosen.
Interpretations
The Citizenship Clause
The Constitution as originally adopted assumes that there is citizenship of the United States, and of the States, but does not explicitly provide a rule that tells whether anyone is a citizen of either (other than by giving Congress the power to naturalize).
The Founders
Listen to and watch programs from the National Constitution Center on the founding generation.
Town Hall Video
The Life and Constitutional Legacy of Gouverneur Morris
Scholars
Melanie Randolph Miller
,
Dennis Rasmussen
, and
William Treanor
explore the life and constitutional legacy of Gouverneur Morris.
Podcast
How Religious Were the Founders?
The founders’ views on faith in private and public life
Podcast
The Legacy of John Adams
The constitutional vision and moral virtues of John Adams and his family
At the Court
The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.
Blog Post
Supreme Court to consider reverse sexual orientation discrimination lawsuit
In a case with implications for employment law, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in late February in a lawsuit brought by a heterosexual woman who claims she was discriminated against based on her sexual orientation.
Podcast
Can Texas Require Age Verification on Adult Sites?
The Supreme Court hears oral arguments in
Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton
Blog Post
The Supreme Court questions law on gender affirming care for teenagers
A divided Supreme Court on Dec. 4, 2024 considered one of the highest profile cases in its current term, leaving perhaps more questions than answers about how it will decide if a state can regulate gender-affirming health care for teenagers.
Educational Resources on the Constitution
See More Educator Resources
America at 250 Civic Toolkit
The
America at 250 Civic Toolkit
gives you everything you need to explore the founding documents and the enduring vision they set in motion.
Constitution 101
Your guide to teaching the U.S. Constitution, modeled on our unique and proven framework for nonpartisan constitutional education.
Founders’ Library
Read over 150 primary source documents that inspired the Founders and defined modern thought about rights and liberties.
Support the NCC
Your gift supports our efforts to increase awareness and understanding of the
U.S. Constitution.
Make a Donation
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Skip to main content
Explore the Constitution
The Constitution
Preamble
Articles
Amendments
Read the Full Text
Dive Deeper
Constitution 101 Course
The Drafting Table
Supreme Court Cases Library
Founders' Library
Constitutional Rights: Origins & Travels
Signers' Biographies
Constitution 101 Course
Start your constitutional learning journey
Explore the Declaration
Overview
The Interactive Declaration
The Annotated Declaration
Dive Deeper
Essays Library
Signers' Biographies
Declaration Across History
The Interactive Declaration
Learn about the Declaration of Independence, and its influence throughout American history and around the world.
News & Debate Overview
Constitution Daily Blog
Podcasts
America's Town Hall Programs
Book Club
Special Projects
Media Library
America’s Town Hall
Watch videos of recent programs
Education Overview
Constitution 101 Curriculum
Civic Virtue Course
Constitution in the Headlines
Classroom Resources by Topic
Classroom Resources Library
Virtual Student Programs
Professional Learning Opportunities
Constitution Day Resources
Election Teaching Resources
Constitution 101 With Khan Academy
Explore our new course that empowers students to learn the Constitution at their own pace.
Explore the Museum
Plan Your Visit
Exhibits & Programs
Field Trips & Group Visits
Host Your Event
Buy Tickets
Address
525 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215.409.6600
Get Directions
Hours
Loadin...
Open Now
America’s Founding
New Exhibit
Coming Soon: Governing the Nation
Opening to the public on Friday, May 15,
Governing the Nation
explores how power is divided among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, how each branch is empowered to check the others, and how authority is shared between the national government and the states.
Learn More
The National Constitution Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate.
Explore the Constitution
Constitution 101 Curriculum
Browse Teaching Resources
Take a Virtual Tour
Museum Open Wednesday-Sunday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Plan Your Visit
525 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215.409.6600
Hours & Admission Rates
Location, Directions & Parking
Museum Map
At the Museum
Experience the Constitution through rare artifacts, historic documents, interactive galleries, and live programming.
Plan Your Visit
Now Open
America's Founding
Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary year with a dynamic, interactive exploration of the American Revolution and the creation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Now Open
The First Amendment
This exhibit offers a fresh perspective on the history of the First Amendment and how it impacts us today.
Explore Constitutional Topics
Executive Power
14th Amendment: Citizenship
The Founders
At the Court
Executive Power
The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.
Podcast
President Trump’s Executive Orders
Examining the legal and constitutional stakes of the president’s actions
Blog Post
Can a president refuse to spend funds approved by Congress?
Shortly after President Donald Trump took office, his administration briefly paused federal spending on various programs. Although that spending has been restored, the move led to questions about the separation of powers between the president and Congress.
Blog Post
Defining the president’s constitutional powers to issue executive orders
Among the most powerful tools available to the president are executive orders, which are written policy directives issued by the president with much of the same power as federal law. However, such orders are not explicitly defined in the Constitution and rest on historical practice, executive interpretations, and court decisions.
14th Amendment: Citizenship
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.
Blog Post
A look back at the Wong Kim Ark decision
President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to redefine birthright citizenship has cast a new light on a landmark Supreme Court decision, United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898).
Podcast
Does the Constitution Require Birthright Citizenship?
Professors Akhil Amar and Edward Erler debate the president’s proposal to revoke birthright citizenship, diving into the history of the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause with host Jeffrey Rosen.
Interpretations
The Citizenship Clause
The Constitution as originally adopted assumes that there is citizenship of the United States, and of the States, but does not explicitly provide a rule that tells whether anyone is a citizen of either (other than by giving Congress the power to naturalize).
The Founders
Listen to and watch programs from the National Constitution Center on the founding generation.
Town Hall Video
The Life and Constitutional Legacy of Gouverneur Morris
Scholars
Melanie Randolph Miller
,
Dennis Rasmussen
, and
William Treanor
explore the life and constitutional legacy of Gouverneur Morris.
Podcast
How Religious Were the Founders?
The founders’ views on faith in private and public life
Podcast
The Legacy of John Adams
The constitutional vision and moral virtues of John Adams and his family
At the Court
The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.
Blog Post
Supreme Court to consider reverse sexual orientation discrimination lawsuit
In a case with implications for employment law, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in late February in a lawsuit brought by a heterosexual woman who claims she was discriminated against based on her sexual orientation.
Podcast
Can Texas Require Age Verification on Adult Sites?
The Supreme Court hears oral arguments in
Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton
Blog Post
The Supreme Court questions law on gender affirming care for teenagers
A divided Supreme Court on Dec. 4, 2024 considered one of the highest profile cases in its current term, leaving perhaps more questions than answers about how it will decide if a state can regulate gender-affirming health care for teenagers.
Educational Resources on the Constitution
See More Educator Resources
America at 250 Civic Toolkit
The
America at 250 Civic Toolkit
gives you everything you need to explore the founding documents and the enduring vision they set in motion.
Constitution 101
Your guide to teaching the U.S. Constitution, modeled on our unique and proven framework for nonpartisan constitutional education.
Founders’ Library
Read over 150 primary source documents that inspired the Founders and defined modern thought about rights and liberties.
Support the NCC
Your gift supports our efforts to increase awareness and understanding of the
U.S. Constitution.
Make a Donation
Modal title
Modal body text goes here.
Share with Students
Share
Link copied to clipboard!
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