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| Oil on canvas by Junius Brutus Steams National Archives |
Here’s a fun Constitutional Moment for you…
Article VII reads…
“The
Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the
Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.
The Word,
"the," being interlined between the seventh and eighth Lines of the
first Page, The Word "Thirty" being partly written on an Erazure in
the fifteenth Line of the first Page, The Words "is tried" being
interlined between the thirty second and thirty third Lines of the first Page
and the Word "the" being interlined between the forty third and forty
fourth Lines of the second Page.
Attest
William Jackson Secretary
done in
Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day
of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty
seven and of the Independance of the United States of America the Twelfth In
witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names,’
followed by the signatures of the signatories.
It’s that second paragraph to which I draw your attention,
the one which begins The Word, “the”.
These fifty-five people worked for about four months
(hot summer months without air conditioning) in 1787 to argue, devise and frame
a government which would address and remedy the grievances mentioned in the
Declaration of Independence.
As one reads through the Constitution, I encourage you
to remember that this was not a “thrown together” document.
Much diligence and attention to detail were attended
this document.
If they paid attention to the placement of such words
as “the” and “is tried” I am convinced that the document is danged accurate to
the agreed upon intentions of the signatories.
You can read more about the composition of the Constitution
here:
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution/how-did-it-happen
Celebrate Citizenship Day September 17
