Chinese New Year has been observed annually in China for hundreds of years. Use Library of Congress primary sources to help your students explore this rich cultural tradition that has been passed on from generation to generation.
The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution is well known to many Americans. But the meaning of those 52 words, and the original intent of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, are still widely studied and debated.
A recent blog post on presidential inaugurations noted that while the Constitution requires only an oath of office, presidential inaugurations have evolved to include many more activities. Many of these elements, including inaugural addresses, are documented in primary sources from the Library of Congress.
Inaugurations have evolved from this simple oath to include a series of events that both commemorate a transition of power and engage the public. A presidential inauguration also provides teachers and students a powerful lens through which to examine the principles at the foundation of American government—the rule of law, checks and balances, republicanism.