Marlena Chertock, special to wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Under dim lights in a hushed room of the National Archives, the “fifth page” of the Constitution was publicly displayed for the first time.

The document was on display to celebrate the 225th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution on Monday. Though the elaborate penmanship on the Constitution was faded, the ideals and words were as vivid as ever for visitors.

The “fifth page,” or the Constitution Resolution, explains presidential elections and how the old government would transfer to the new one under the Articles of Confederation.

A former history teacher from Hawaii visited the National Archives with her friend from Japan Sunday. When she was a teacher, she often brought her students to the National Archives to view the important historic documents written and signed by America’s Founding Fathers.

“Without them, our country would not be the way it is today,” she says.

The National Archives is holding exhibits, penmanship workshops and Founding Father reenactments throughout the month of September to celebrate the anniversary.

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