Prior to the founding of America, the only other kinds of governments that existed in the world were monarchies, military governments or dictatorships. Then, in the late 18th Century, on American soil, a few notable men gathered to create a nation of free men. A Republic – something untried ever before in human history, where men consented to those who governed over them. These men, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and many other formed our Constitution for the sake of a free people in the summer of 1787. Yes, the Colonists had declared their independence against the strongest nation of earth in 1776, but after winning that war, these loosely tied-together states were on the verge of self-destruction themselves. These men, with their vast knowledge of history, in-depth studies of prior governments and an understanding of human nature forged one of the greatest documents of all time – our American Constitution. Today, we are familiar with the terms in the Declaration of Independence such as “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” ”Unalienable Rights” ”Consent of the Governed” “Equal Rights” but how were those terms arrived at, why were they chosen, how did they impact the Constitution, and are they still valid? If you have an interest in the founder’s thinking as they wrote the Constitution and how that relates to you as an American 223 years later, please join this 10 week class. Using the book The 5000 Year Leap, study questions and DVD presentations, we will learn the 28 principles of our Constitution and how they are as applicable today as they were in 1787. There will be a 10 seesion class on Tuesdays, beginning September 21 and ending November 23 at NCC in Sheldon.
