“We in America do not have government by the majority– we have government by the majority who participate… All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”
-Thomas Jefferson

September 17th is one of the most important dates in the history of the United States: Constitution Day. This day commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution by our founders in 1787. In case you snoozed through history class, we’ve provided a brief rundown here on the constitution (including a video!), and are handing out FREE pocket constitutions when you stop by Press  for your morning cup. 

Seeing as it is an election year, it’s important to remember that the United States was founded by we the people to ensure our freedom and security. The constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation in order to strengthen the central government and unify the states. The original seven articles laid out a balanced framework of government through a separation of power as well as the rights and responsibilities of state governments. A lot of deliberation and compromise went into making the United States a “more perfect union” but the framers also anticipated the changing needs of a growing country, allowing for additional amendments to be made in the future.

In 1791 the United States Bill of Rights was created in order to address objections to the constitution and to clearly define personal freedoms and limitations of governmental power. Including things such as freedom of speech and the right to a speedy trial, the Bill of Rights consisted of the first ten amendments to the constitution. As of today, there are now 26 amendments to the constitution, many of which are safeguards for our civil rights.

Okay, history lesson over. If you’re like me, your eyes start to glaze over with excessive legalese, but a basic knowledge of how the government works is a vital part of being a citizen of this country. Do you know who your state senators are or how many people Iowa sends to the House of Representatives? These are the elected people we send to Washington D.C. to be our surrogate in congress and are just as important as choosing our nation’s president. 2020 is special in that it’s not only an election year but also time to be counted for the Census. The information gathered has an important impact on your own community by determining congressional representation and federal funding.

So please, make sure you are counted in the U.S. Census and ensure you’re registered to vote for the November 3rd general election. Find all the information you need to vote by mail or in person at VoterReady.Iowa.gov.