Gilder Lehrman Institute Celebrates Constitution Day with Fun Civics Resources and Teacher Contest Winners
The Gilder Lehrman Institute’s Citizenship Test Video Library features scholars, teachers, and experts providing historical context for U.S. citizenship test questions.
New Citizenship Test videos and Building Better Citizens winners help students, teachers, and history enthusiasts explore history, citizenship, and civics
Constitution Day gives us an opportunity to reflect on what citizenship means and how the Constitution continues to shape American life”
NEW YORK , NY, UNITED STATES, September 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is recognizing Constitution Day with new educational resources designed to deepen understanding of American history and citizenship. With the historic observance approaching on September 17, the Institute is highlighting its updated Citizenship Test Video Library and the 2026 winners of its Building Better Citizens Contest.— James G. Basker, president and CEO of the Gilder Lehrman Institute
These initiatives are part of the Institute’s broader effort to provide teachers, students, and the general public with engaging ways to explore the Constitution, American government, and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
New Citizenship Test Videos Bring Civics to Life
The Institute has expanded its Citizenship Test Video Library, where scholars, teachers, and other experts provide historical context for questions included on the U.S. naturalization test. The growing collection allows learners to go beyond memorizing answers and better understand the people, events, and principles behind them.
New videos explore topics ranging from American government and the judicial branch to major figures and events in U.S. history. Featured videos include Dr. Liz Covart discussing the accomplishments of Benjamin Franklin and Danielle Allen highlighting two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
Building Better Citizens Contest Recognizes Educators Nationwide
The Institute is also celebrating the winners of its 2026 Building Better Citizens Contest, which recognizes K–12 teachers for developing creative, single-class-period civics lesson plans that help students better understand the Constitution and their role as citizens.
There are 10 prize winners, including first-place winner Jose Garcia Delgado of Elizabeth Learning Center in California, recognized for his lesson plan, “We the People: Reimagining the U.S. Citizenship Test and Civic Engagement.” Prizes were also awarded to two second-place winners and seven third-place winners. To review the complete list of contest winners and their lesson plans, visit gilderlehrman.org/citizenship/building-better-citizens.
“Constitution Day gives us an opportunity to reflect on what citizenship means and how the Constitution continues to shape American life,” said James G. Basker, president and CEO of the Gilder Lehrman Institute. “Through these resources and the work of outstanding teachers across the country, we want students to engage with American history and ask critical questions.”
About the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History was founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman, visionaries and lifelong supporters of American history education. The Institute is the leading nonprofit and nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of American history through educational programs and resources. We serve K–12 teachers and students, honor scholars, and welcome and inform the general public.
The Institute brings the work of today’s leading historians into classrooms and homes around the globe. Through public events, publications, posters, videos, exhibitions, essays, and a dedicated website rich in primary sources, the Institute brings every period of American history to life. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Gilder Lehrman Affiliate School network comprises fifteen million students and over 100,000 teachers from more than 38,000 schools worldwide.
At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. Drawing on the 87,000 documents in the Gilder Lehrman Collection and an extensive network of eminent historians, the Institute provides teachers, students, and the general public with direct access to unique primary source materials.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is supported through the generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Institute’s programs have been recognized by awards from the White House, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Organization of American Historians, the Council of Independent Colleges, the National Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Web Excellence Awards. Learn more at www.gilderlehrman.org.
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