Monday was Constitution Day, celebrating 231 years after the United States Constitution was ratified.

The Constitutional Convention started on May 14, 1787, and after many debates and compromises during the next five months, the Constitution was ratified on Sept. 17, 1787. The Bill of Rights, which contain the first ten amendments, was ratified on Dec. 10, 1791.

Now, there are 27 amendments to the Constitution that have defined history, from limiting presidential terms, giving everyone the right to vote and defining American citizenship.

The Constitution gives Americans great freedoms, and it’s important to recognize the day to appreciate what we have.

Without the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, our country would not be what it is today. The Bill of Rights was specifically created for citizens to keep their individual liberties. Freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the right to vote are guaranteed here, unlike other countries where they may be limited or not allowed.

Just like the Constitutional Convention, we  sometimes debate and argue in the present about how to interpret the amendments and how far our freedoms are limited, but we have the right to do so.

The Constitution is what sets our country apart from others and we should take a moment to reflect on our freedoms.