The U.S. Constitution is suddenly relevant again. In the past decade Americans have been drawn into discussions of the impeachment clause, the pardon clause, the emoluments clause, the Electoral College, separation of powers, war powers, and the role of the judiciary. Yet most Americans have not recently—or ever—read the Constitution.

A breathtaking document of just 4,500 words, crafted in the summer of 1787 by way of hard-fought compromises by 55 privileged white men in a three-mile-per hour world, the Constitution is the baseline for all political debates in American life. It has been amended just 27 times in 234 years, and 10 of those amendments, the Bill of Rights, were essentially an appendix.

Is America blessed with a living Constitution flexible enough to adjust itself to changing technologies, demographics, opportunities, and challenges, or has the country outgrown its capacity to coordinate the public life of a third of a billion people of every ethnicity, language, religion, and country of origin? How well has the Constitution held up under the significant challenges of the last two decades? Is it still possible to engage in a process to make ours a “more perfect union”?

Historian, author, and humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson considers four questions: What happened in Philadelphia between May and September 1787? What are the various ways in which the Constitution has been interpreted (broad versus strict construction, originalism, textualism, structuralism, pragmatism)? What problems or inadequacies have the 27 amendments attempted to address? And what principles or clauses of the Constitution are in need of clarification or reform nearly 250 years after the “miracle in Philadelphia”?

Patron Information

• If you register multiple individuals, you will be asked to supply individual names and email addresses so they can receive a Zoom link email. Please note that if there is a change in program schedule or a cancellation, we will notify you via email, and it will be your responsibility to notify other registrants in your group.
• Unless otherwise noted, registration for streaming programs typically closes two hours prior to the start time on the date of the program.
• Once registered, patrons should receive an automatic email confirmation from CustomerService@SmithsonianAssociates.org.
• Separate Zoom link information will be emailed closer to the date of the program. If you do not receive your Zoom link information 24 hours prior to the start of the program, please email Customer Service for assistance.
• View Common FAQs about our Streaming Programs on Zoom.