“It therefore astonishes me, Sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it does; and I think it will astonish our enemies, who are waiting with confidence to hear that our councils are confounded . . . . Thus I consent, Sir, to this Constitution because I expect no better, and because I am not sure, that it is not the best.”―Benjamin Franklin, September 17, 1787, speech at the Constitutional Convention
Most American children barely touch the Constitution in school―and when they do, they get little more than a checklist of dates and names. Yet our freedom depends on understanding this remarkable document.
We Created a Country brings the Constitution to life for children, teaching them about the animated debates at the Constitutional Convention as well as the important compromises that emerged. The United States Constitution establishes a form of government that is completely unique in the history of the world, and it is vitally important that younger generations understand its most basic principles. We Created a Country is beautifully illustrated by Kate E. Sands and written by Tara Ross, recipient of the 2024 NSDAR Excellence in American History Children's Book Award. This resource tackles the challenge of teaching younger children about constitutional principles by dividing the Founders' discussions into 11 topics, each presented sequentially and each as its own double-page spread. Presenting the Constitution in bite-size portions will help children digest and remember more nuances than they might otherwise―equipping the next generation to understand and protect the republic they inherit.
