On this day in History, 233 years ago, September 17, 1787, the US Constitution is signed by delegates at the Philadelphia Convention.

The US Constitution is considered to be the oldest Constitution still in use today. This means that those composing the constitutions of every other government currently in existence on earth have had the benefit of access to the US Constitution (and Bill of Rights) as a model to draw freely from, and the ability to choose to incorporate its ideas into the running of their own country.

Additional resources which may help to provide context:

1) The National Archives, great in person, still interesting on the web.
There is a National Archives webpage dedicated to the Founding Documents.

2) Book: Signing Their Rights Away, The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed The United States Constitution (2011)

3) Book: Magna Carta, A Very Short Introduction (2012)

4) Constituting America