On March 4, 1789 the U.S. Constitution became the law of the land, and on April 30th George Washington was sworn in as the nation's first president. The constitution was adopted two years after it's first draft was accepted. In that time, much debate ensued among very learned men. From James Madison to Andrew Hamilton, from George Washington to John Jay, many men worked long hours, discussing and debating the constitution article by article. These men cherished the constitution, and defended it with their own lives and the lives of their families. They knew what was at stake and dedicated their lives to defending the country and the constitution. But now, as a new nation was being born, how could this constitution be persevered. George Washington knew that the security of a free constitution could only be guaranteed "by the enlightened confidence of the people". To that end, our first President was proposing a national university to teach the basics of our Constitution. Here is his proposed course syllabus.
- Understand your rights.
- Discern and fight off invasion against your rights.
- Distinguish between oppression and needful lawful authority.
- Identify burdens of disregard versus burdens of urgency.
- Cherish the "spirit of liberty"; avoid immorality.
- Be vigilant about your rights, yet respectful of the law.
"To the security of a free constitution it contributes in various ways - by convincing those who are intrusted with the public administration that every valuable end of government is best answered by the enlightened confidence of the people, and by teaching the people themselves to know and to value their own rights; to discern and provide against invasions of them; to distinguish between oppression and the necessary exercise of lawful authority; between burthens proceeding from a disregard to their convenience and those resulting from the inevitable exigencies of society; to discriminate the spirit of liberty from that of licentiousness - cherishing the first, avoiding the last - and uniting a speedy but temperate vigilance against encroachments, with an inviolable respect to the laws.http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29431
Whether this desirable object will be best promoted by affording aids to seminaries of learning already established, by the institution of a national university, or by any other expedients will be well worthy of a place in the deliberations of the legislature."
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_history.html
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Scene_at_the_Signing_of_the_Constitution_of_the_United_States.jpg
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/revolutionary-war/general/peale-portrait-george-washington.jpg
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