Constitution Day is Sunday, Sept. 17, and to celebrate, Colorado Law's Byron R. White Center for the Study of Constitutional Law invites you to participate in a quiz about the U.S. Constitution. Five winners will be randomly selected from all correct entries to receive a $100 gift card at the CU Bookstore.
Only online submissions will be considered and must be received by 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time on Sunday, Sept. 17. One entry per person; multiple entries will be disqualified. You must be a currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate or graduate student to be eligible to win.
Winners will be contacted with information on where to pick up a gift card.
Thanks to all who completed the Constitution Day Quiz! Here are the answers:
- Correct answer: First Amendment
The First Amendment protects several rights. It states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Regarding the right to free speech, the First Amendment safeguards the right to express one's opinions and ideas, even if they are unpopular or controversial, without government censorship or punishment.
- Correct answer: Fifth Amendment
The Fifth Amendment includes several provisions that protect individual rights in legal proceedings. It states, in part, "No person… shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” This Amendment guarantees that individuals cannot be compelled to testify against themselves in a criminal proceeding. This is where the famous "right to remain silent" comes from.
- Correct answer: 35 years old
The age requirement for the President of the United States is mentioned in Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 of the United States Constitution. In this clause, the Constitution specifies three eligibility requirements for a person to become President. The person must be: (1) a natural born citizen of the U.S.; (2) of at least 35 years of age; (3) and a resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years.
- Correct answer: Abortion - no decision issued
While abortion laws and related issues, such as mifepristone, have been covered in many media outlets, the Supreme Court did not rule on this issue this term. In 2022, Dobbs v. Jackson overruled a constitutional right to an abortion, previously articulated in the Roe and Casey cases. Like other constitutional rights, the right is not absolute. There are, however, a number of cases in the lower federal courts in the wake of the Dobbs decision. View a list of recent significant Supreme Court decisions.
- Correct answer: It’s the day the drafting of the Constitution was finalized and signed by the delegates.
Delegates to the Constitutional Convention convened in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation, but quickly realized the need for an entirely new document. Delegates finalized and signed the document known as the Constitution on September 17, 1787. In 2004 the Senate approved an amendment to a bill declaring September 17 Constitution Day.