United States Bill of Rights 1789 photo By 1st United States Congress – Available in the holdings of the National Archives and Records Administration. Public Domain, https commons.wikimedia.org

James Madison, primary author and chief advocate for the Bill of Rights in the First Congress By John Vanderlyn – Ths White House Historical Association, Public Domain, https commons.wikimedia.org

BILL OF RIGHTS DAY (U.S.)

Bill of Rights Day honors the ratification of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which occurred on December 15, 1791. These laws protect basic human rights, including freedom of religion, speech, and peaceable assembly. Franklin D. Roosevelt first proclaimed Bill of Rights Day in 1941. Occurring on December 15 each year, it is a day for people to fly the U.S. flag and to reflect upon the significance of these amendments.

Every Year

• BILL OF RIGHTS DAY (U.S.)

1790s

• 1791: THE BILL OF RIGHTS, FIRST TEN AMENDMENTS TO U.S. CONSTITUTION, RATIFIED

1830s

• BORN 1832: GUSTAVE EIFFEL (ARCHITECT)
• 1836: FIRE AT THE U.S. PATENT OFFICE

1850s

• 1854: PHILADELPHIA STREETS WERE FIRST CLEANED BY A MACHINE

1860s

• 1862: BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG ENDS IN DEFEAT OF UNION TROOPS BY CONFEDERATE GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE (CIVIL WAR)

1890s

• DIED 1890: SITTING BULL (SIOUX CHIEF)
• BORN 1896: BETTY SMITH (NOVELIST)

1910s

• BORN 1913: MURIEL RUKEYSER (POET)

1930s

• BORN 1933: TIM CONWAY (COMEDIAN & ACTOR)
• 1938: GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONIES FOR THE JEFFERSON MEMORIAL TOOK PLACE IN WASHINGTON D.C.
• 1939: GONE WITH THE WIND PREMIERED, AT LOEW’S GRAND THEATER IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA

1960s

• 1960: COMMEMORATIVE STAMP DEPICTING ECHO I, WORLD’S FIRST PASSIVE COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE, ISSUED BY U.S. POST OFFICE, D.C., 1960
• 1965: FIRST RENDEZVOUS OF TWO MANNED SPACECRAFT, GEMINI 6 AND GEMINI 7

1970s

• 1970: VENERA 7 SOVIET UNMANNED SPACECRAFT LANDED ON VENUS50 Years Ago
• BORN 1972: STUART TOWNSEND (ACTOR)
• 1978: SUPERMAN, STARRING CHRISTOPHER REEVE, PREMIERED
• BORN 1979: ADAM BRODY (ACTOR)

2000s

• DIED 2002: DICK STUART (ALSO KNOWN AS “DR. STRANGEGLOVE,” BASEBALL PLAYER)

COURTESY www.almanac.com