What you may not know about the Bill of Rights

December 15 is Bill of Rights Day, which commemorates the ratification of the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. For more information on events and resources at the National Archives, visit our Bill of Rights Day website. How much do you know about the Bill of Rights? We know a lot and have written … Continue reading What you may not know about the Bill of Rights

The Compromise of 1790

On June 20, 1790, when Congress was temporarily meeting in New York City, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson hosted a dinner. In attendance were Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton and Representative from Virginia James Madison. Keep in mind these men were on opposing ends of the political spectrum. Hamilton, a Federalist, wanted the Federal Government … Continue reading The Compromise of 1790

Congress Counts: History of the U.S. Census

Today’s post comes from Samantha Payne, intern in the Center for Legislative Archives in Washington, DC.  The Constitution requires that Congress conduct a census every 10 years to determine the representation of each state in the  House of Representatives. When the authors of the Constitution allocated seats in the House for the First Congress, they had no … Continue reading Congress Counts: History of the U.S. Census

Amending the Constitution: 100 Days to 200 Years

The Constitution hasn’t changed much since it was adopted in 1787. However, it has been tweaked by 27 amendments—some were ratified in a few months, another took more than two centuries. The ink on the Constitution had barely dried in 1787 when people discovered what it did not say. It did not spell out adequately, … Continue reading Amending the Constitution: 100 Days to 200 Years

In their own words: President George Washington

This is the first part of a series, written by Jim Zeender, devoted to letters written by the Founding Fathers in their own words and often in their own hand. As a registrar in the Exhibits Division of the National Archives for over 25 years, I have had the good fortune to work with many … Continue reading In their own words: President George Washington

History Crush: Alexander Hamilton

Today's "History Crush" comes from Jessie Kratz, an archives specialist with the Center for Legislative Archives. She's been carrying a torch for one of our record-makers for quite some time! Most of my colleagues are all too aware that Alexander Hamilton is my history crush. Maybe the gigantic replica $10 bill hanging in my office … Continue reading History Crush: Alexander Hamilton