Sleepover at the National Archives!

You can't snuggle with the Constitution, but you can sleep next to it! This sleepover in the Rotunda is open to children ages 8-12, accompanied by an adult. Registration fees are $125 per person (discounted to $100 per person for Foundation members). Participants get to meet author Brad Meltzer, who will set the way for an evening of historical … Continue reading Sleepover at the National Archives!

What are you doing on July 4?

Every year, we celebrate Independence Day on the steps of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. It's a fun, free event for the whole family! (And if you don't like the heat, you can now watch the program live from inside the National Archives building. Email specialevents@nara.gov to reserve a seat in our air-conditioned … Continue reading What are you doing on July 4?

The Papers of the Founding Fathers Are Now Online

Today's post comes from Keith Donohue, communications director for the National Historical Publications and Records Commission at the National Archives. This post originally appeared on the White House blog. What was the original intent behind the Constitution and other documents that helped shape the nation? What did the Founders of our country have to say? … Continue reading The Papers of the Founding Fathers Are Now Online

Thomas Jefferson: Governor of Virginia, Part II

Today’s guest post was written by Jim Zeender, senior registrar in Exhibits at the National Archives in Washington, DC. This post continues the story of Jefferson as Governor, began in Part I. Jefferson’s term as Governor ended on June 2, 1781, a dangerous and chaotic time for Virginia. General Cornwallis had heard of the General … Continue reading Thomas Jefferson: Governor of Virginia, Part II

Constitution 225: No quorum, no Constitution!

Today's post was written by National Archives volunteer Paul Richter. It is the first in a series tracing the development of the Constitution in honor of the 225th anniversary of this document. Eleven years after the Declaration of Independence announced the birth of the United States, the survival of the young country seemed in doubt. … Continue reading Constitution 225: No quorum, no Constitution!