As Federal employees and United States citizens, it is important to remember the foundation documents on which our government was formed. We all studied the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights in school. The Constitution of the United States comprises the primary law of the U.S. Federal Government. It also describes the three chief branches of the Federal Government and their jurisdictions. In addition, it lays out the basic rights of citizens of the United States. The Constitution of the United States is the oldest Federal constitution in existence and was framed by a convention of delegates from twelve of the thirteen original states in Philadelphia in May 1787. As you begin your career with BLM, we want you to re-familiarize yourself with these landmark legal documents which can be found at the following websites:

http://www.constitutionfacts.com/cons.shtml

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution.html