Source: Ashbrook Center – Teaching American History When great and extraordinary powers are vested in any man, or body of men, which in their exercise, may operate to the oppression of the people, it is of high importance that powerful checks should be formed to prevent the abuse of it. Perhaps no restraints are more […]
December 19, 1938 – February 4, 2021 Constituting America thanks our board member Mrs. Janice Gauntt and friend Jan Wallace for their generous donation in Mrs. Polk’s memory. Mrs. Polk was an enthusiastic and generous supporter of Constituting America and a respected Texas real estate broker. Click Here to view Mrs. Polk’s Obituary and learn more […]
Source: Consource. Click Here to view the original document. To the CITIZENS of the STATE of NEW-YORK. I flatter myself that my last address established this position, that to reduce the Thirteen States into one goverment, would prove the destruction of your liberties. But lest this truth should be doubted by some, I will now […]
Source: Teaching American History MR. PRINTER, In order that people may be sufficiently impressed, with the necessity of establishing a BILL OF RIGHTS in the forming of a new constitution, it is very proper to take a short view of some of those liberties, which it is of the greatest importance for Freemen to retain […]
Source: Consource. Click Here To View Original Document. To the CITIZENS of the STATE of NEW-YORK. In the investigation of the constitution, under your consideration, great care should be taken, that you do not form your opinions respecting it, from unimportant provisions, or fallacious appearances. On a careful examination, you will find, that many of […]
To the CITIZENS of the State of NEW-YORK. In my last number I endeavored to prove that the language of the article relative to the establishment of the executive of this new government was vague and inexplicit, that the great powers of the President, connected with his duration in office would lead to oppression and […]
Mr. PRINTER, This is certainly very important crisis to the people of America; experience seems to have convinced everyone, that the articles of confederation, under which Congress have hitherto attempted to regulate the affairs of the United States, are insufficient for the purposes intended; that we are a ruined people unless some alteration can be […]
SOURCE: HERBERT J. STORING, ED., THE COMPLETE ANTI-FEDERALIST, VOL. 2, 136-143. To the Freemen of Pennsylvania Friends, Countrymen and Fellow Citizens, Permit one of yourselves to put you in mind of certain liberties and privileges secured to you by the constitution of this commonwealth, and to beg your serious attention to his uninterested opinion upon the […]
Dr. Barbara Bowie-Whitman is an economist and a retired Foreign Service Officer. She was educated at the College of William and Mary and Southern Methodist University and earned her doctorate in economics from the George Washington University. Dr Bowie-Whitman was a Fulbright Scholar to Guatemala following the completion of her first master’s degree. She served […]
According to the logic of the argument, then, the “consent” of the governed cannot mean simply the assent of the governed. Consent can only mean assent to a government that really does secure the rights human beings have by nature, thanks to their Creator, before they form the government. Once they no longer consent to their government because it no longer serves the “end” or purpose a government ought to have, not only do we have the right to alter or abolish it, we also have the right, even the obligation, to frame a new government, one that does secure the rights the old government failed to secure.
The importance of the Declaration of Independence can hardly be overstated. It established for the first time in world history a new nation based on the First Principles of the rule of law, unalienable rights, limited government, the Social Compact, equality, and the right to alter or abolish oppressive government.
Contrary to the beliefs of some, the American Revolution was not fought for lower taxes or to protect slavery. In fact, the tea tax which provoked the Boston Tea Party actually lowered the price of tea, and many of the Founding Fathers were opposed to slavery.
Religious texts aside, the Declaration of Independence may be the most important document in human history. It totally upended the prevailing orthodoxy about government and has led to momentous changes across time and the world. Certainly we have fallen short, over and over again, of its ideals. But without the First Principles of the Declaration of Independence, we would live in the total darkness of oppression as mankind had for a millennia before.
May I share with you why, in spite of all the challenges our nation faces, I am hopeful, even optimistic for its future? I’m optimistic because of students like Courtney, a 17-year-old in Texas, who used her talents as a singer and lyricist to write and produce an original music video to teach Constitutional principles […]
Constituting America is pleased to award Jacob Mott with a “Best Essay On Film Award”! Jacob L. Mott is an 18 year old from Chester, New York, who attends Chester Academy as a senior. He’s interned for NY State Senator James Skoufis, Defense Attorney Benjamin Ostrer, and the Orange County (NY) Sheriff’s Office. He also […]
“Best Drama” In Constituting America’s “We The Future” Short Film Category My name is Yashica Nabar, 16, and I’m in 11th grade attending the Law Academy at Creekview High School. I still have memories of when I was seven years old and would run around my house, creating small films to show my family and […]
Best Cinematic Ensemble, High School Short Film Category This is the second time this trio has created and won a division of Constituting America! Wyatt Hensley is 16 and a sophomore from Joplin MO. He is active in the FFA, student council, t.v. productions, as well as DECA and FBLA. He also is an Eagle […]
Hello! My name is Lindsey Larkin. I am a life-long homeschooler and graduate of the Classical Conversations Challenge program (May 2021). I have a great love of history and the American Constitution and I hope to continue sharing the importance of the American founding with others. I enjoy public speaking and have emceed at both […]
Gerald Huesken is a Social Studies teacher, focused on World History and Government & Economics, at Elizabethtown Area High School in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. A graduate of Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, Mr Huesken has been teaching at Etown for the better part of a decade. At the high school, he serves not only as a teacher, […]
Samir is currently an MBA student at Emory University in Atlanta. He’s an Army veteran with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan as a cavalry officer; he still serves in the Army Reserves. He has a strong interest in entrepreneurship and real estate. He graduated from West Point with a degree in Economics and Arabic language. Click […]
My name is Melanie and I’m in the 8th grade. I enjoy creative STEM projects, coding and watching movies. I am the student council Vice-President at my school. In 2018 and 2019, I won grants from the City of Las Vegas Youth Neighborhood Association Partnership Program (YNAPP) which rewards grants to youth who want to make […]
David Edelman has been a Social Studies teacher and Peer Instructional Coach in NYC Public Schools for over a decade. David provides instructional coaching, mentoring and professional learning to colleagues, in addition to teaching Government & Economics classes. His classroom serves as a learning lab and demonstration classroom to foster inter and intra school collaboration. […]
Carson Winkie is the son of Ken and Leslie Winkie, and the youngest of five children. Carson, a graduate of Bridgeport High School, served as the Student Body president throughout his senior year. He is currently serving as the governor of West Virginia Boys State and as a senator to the American Legion Boys Nation. He was appointed as the secretary […]
Lawson is a retired Air Force pilot (26 years, served in Viet Nam), retired airline pilot (flew domestic and international routes), retired farmer, and retired Track/Cross Country coach. He and his wife have 3 children—one daughter with 3 grandchildren, two sons (both served in the Army, one still in the Army Reserve with deployments to […]
Aubrey Jackman was born and raised in Tooele, Utah. Growing up, she loved being the middle of seven children in her family. After High School, Aubrey served an 18-month volunteer mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Seattle, Washington area. Aubrey enjoys spending her free time playing sports, such as […]
Magda Smith is a sophomore at Cornell University. She is interested in creating positive change through policy and promoting nuance, empathy, and open-mindedness in political discussions. In her free time, she loves to read and go on walks. Magda’s essays, songs, and poems have won several national and international awards including a Merit Award from […]
Emmalisa Horlacher, 23, Best College Song Winner, grew up in Utah but spent recent years living in Virginia where she got to tour the Museum of National History displaying the Constitution as well as visit multiple Civil War sites. She is currently attending BYU and is in the process of applying for the Media […]
Gianna Voce is a 15-year-old homeschool student from Northern Virginia. She has been interested in STEM from an early age, teaching herself Python before starting a Girls Who Code club for homeschooled students. She is currently exploring an interest in programming, cybersecurity, and website design. She plans to graduate early and hopes to pursue a […]
Courtney is a very active 17-year-old junior at Midway High School in Waco, Texas. She is a member of the National Honor Society, founder and president of her school’s Trivia Club, and serves as an officer in the Spanish Club. Courtney’s Business Professionals of America Start-up Enterprise team has advanced to nationals and placed in […]
Joaddan Villard is a junior at Laurel High School. She originally began editing in 4th grade with the oh so famous “Movie Maker.” Now 17, she enjoys editing in her free time. Never passing up an opportunity to try something new, many things have helped her reach where she is today. Joaddan has participated in […]
Lily Cring is 16 years old and a Junior at Western High School in Ft. Lauderdale. She is on the Executive Board for her theatre and drama department as well as a National Speech & Debate competitor. She has a passion for contributing to her community and In her free time, is an intern for […]
Margaret Alvine is an 18-year-old homeschooled high school Senior. She has been homeschooled all her life, along with her six younger siblings. She currently lives in the Mojave Desert in Southern California. Her interest in the Constitution grew through her sophomore AP US Government class, which she really enjoyed. She also enjoys reading the speeches […]
My name is Simran and I am an 8th grade student at Lakeside Middle. I enjoy reading, running, baking and playing clarinet not necessarily in that order. Some of my accomplishments are receiving STEM award in Vex Robotics Competition in 5th grade, making to County Honor Band in the 6th grade and the District Honor […]
Advika is a 4th Grader in Texas. She loves to draw, swim, sing and ride her bike. Advika likes to tinker around in the kitchen and makes curious snacks by mixing strange ingredients we wouldn’t normally use together. She likes trying different cuisines and make an inter- continental experimental fusion which are tried out on us. […]
Mary Crosby, Best Middle School Song Winner from Washington State Mary Crosby was born in Mount Vernon, Washington in 2007. She is the 5th of six Crosby children and is homeschooled. She has always enjoyed playing music and started violin at the age of six. At seven, Mary added piano and has since taught herself […]
Elise Esparza, Winner, Best Poem Elise Esparza is a 10 year old fifth grader from Reagan Elementary in Cedar Park, Texas. She loves to write, draw, dance, swim, and ride her bike. Elise’s love for writing was passed down from her late grandmother, Nam Kỳ Cô Nương, who was a prolific Vietnamese poet. Though Elise […]
Elhaam Atiq, 10, is a proud Texan who lives in Richmond, TX. She is the second child to her parents and has 2 sisters. Her winning artwork depicts the diversity we see in America today and how this is a strength that adds to our country’s greatness. Elhaam is a member of her school’s National Elementary […]
Our beloved Auction Coordinator Mollie McCreary has passed away, or transitioned, as she liked to say. Mollie worked for Constituting America from 2014 to just a few weeks before she passed. Mollie was a dear friend to us all at Constituting America, and to our wonderful donors who make our Constitution Education programs possible. Mollie […]
Horace Cooper is a senior fellow with the National Center for Public Policy Research, co-chairman of the Project 21 National Advisory Board and a legal commentator. Horace averages over 400 talk radio appearances per year representing the National Center and Project 21, in addition to regular television appearances and interviews by the print media. He […]
Mr. President and fellow citizens of New York: – The facts with which I shall deal this evening are mainly old and familiar; nor is there anything new in the general use I shall make of them. If there shall be any novelty, it will be in the mode of presenting the facts, and the […]
The Monroe Doctrine remains one of the most influential foreign policy statements in United States history. The principles it espoused were largely consistent with the foreign affairs doctrine of non-interventionism in European affairs that were followed by the first U.S. presidents. Even by the twenty-first century, at times when U.S. geopolitical strategies were drastically different from those of the early nineteenth century, some foreign policy makers still invoked the Monroe Doctrine when prioritizing the spread of democracy and the well-being of the Western Hemisphere over other parts of the world. One of the key reasons for its longevity and success was because it established a foreign policy rooted in a combination of realism and idealism.
A new country needs rules they say To govern and protect the people So our founders back in 1787 Created the rules that affect us today The Constitution explains how our government works Each part with a specific role Three branches to check and balance each other, with Legislative, Judicial, Executive Our Constitution […]
Ellen Francis is a sophomore in the Templeton Honors College at Eastern University, where she is pursuing a degree in Classics with minors in History and Philosophy. Ellen is originally from Tennessee, but is enjoying life in suburban Philadelphia. She enjoys reading, swing dancing, discussing theology with her friends, and drinking sweet tea. After graduation, […]
Dr. Robert Brescia currently serves as a Board Director (Past Chairman) at Basin PBS television, the American Red Cross of the Permian Basin (Past Chairman), the Southwest Heritage Credit Union, and the Salvation Army of Odessa. His experience includes top leadership roles in education, corporate business, non-profit, and defense sectors. He is a sought-after speaker […]
Nathan Copeland is a 14-year-old from San Antonio, Texas. He attends STEM Academy at Legacy of Educational Excellence (LEE) High School, where he enjoys entering STEM-related competitions, leading to him going to State Science Fair, placing 2nd overall in SA SMART City Challenge, and winning CivTech SA. He is also interested in the technological sector, […]
Tova Love Kaplan, 16, currently serves as the National Youth Director for Constituting America and is a three-time winner of the nonprofit’s “We the Future” contest. Her work with Constituting America has lead to incredible experiences at the Department of Education, White House, the United States Capitol, and Fortune 500 companies. Tova is heavily involved […]
Thank you to Mr. and Mrs. William Kohnke for your very generous contribution in loving memory of Bob and Norma Freuer to sponsor our Best High School Song Winner. Click here to read Mr. and Mrs. Kohnke’s remembrance of Bob and Norma Freuer.
Constituting America thanks Mrs. Cindy Brinker Simmons for her generous contribution in honor of the memory of Mr. John Herklotz. Mr. Herklotz was a generous supporter of Constituting America. He not only helped fund our Constitution Education Programs, but also gave Constituting America many opportunities to promote our programs to his wide network through featuring […]
March 3, 1937 – January 20, 2020 Constituting America thanks our board member Mrs. Janice Gauntt for her generous contribution in Mr. Hubbard’s memory. Mr. Hubbard was one of the earliest supporters of Constituting America, making our 2010 Road Trip Across America possible with a generous gift. Mr. Hubbard’s granddaughter is our Best Artwork Judge, […]
Constituting America thanks Janice Gauntt for her generous contribution in honor of Ms. Barbara Awbrey Hardage, to sponsor our Best Song Winner. Click here for Barbara’s obituary.
Thank you to Dorothy Quimby for your generous gift in honor of Mr. James Quimby, your beloved husband. Click here for James Quimby’s obituary.
Marilyn Brink was one of Constituting America’s first staff. She checked our P.O. Box and made deposits for us from 2010 to early 2019. Marilyn very generously donated most of her Constituting America duties, charging a very minimal fee. We will never forget Marilyn’s sense of humor and strong work ethic and are grateful for […]
Elyas Masrour is a 17-year-old from Long Island, New York. He attends Ward Melville High School where he participates in various clubs like FIRST Robotics, Environmental Club, DECA Business Competition, and the Muslim Students’ Association. Elyas is a creator at heart. Whether it’s designing a robot, organizing an event, or making a short film, he’s […]
Dakare C. Chatman is 16 years old and is a native of Charleston, South Carolina. Dakare got his start in theatre. Some of his many roles include Ollie in Yes Virginia, Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol, Prince Chufa Chulalongkorn in The King and I, Ralphie in A Christmas Story, and Seaweed J. […]
My name is Chibuzor Ernest Onyeahialam and I am a born citizen of the United States with parents that are originally from Nigeria. I go to school at the University of Houston and I am studying computer information systems. I have plans of gaining a career in the computer industry. I have an extreme love […]
My name is Daniela Staton. I am a 6th grade honors student and I live in Delray Beach, Florida. I am passionate about singing, songwriting, piano, and playing volleyball and tennis. As libero on my volleyball team, we won first place at the 2020 South Florida Season Opener. At school, my favorite subject […]
ALEXANDRA GUSINSKI CV Alexandra Gusinski, a 12-year-old, residing in Greenwich, Connecticut – is a first-generation American born in Los Angeles, on December 25, 2007. She is of Israeli-Russian descent and is the granddaughter of Russian-Israeli media tycoon, Vladimir Gusinsky. As a nature and marine life enthusiast, at age ten she received her Junior PADI Open […]
Hello, my name is Isabel Crews. I am thirteen years old, but I am about to turn fourteen. Last year, I was the winner of Constituting America’s essay contest in the Middle School age division. I am currently pursuing my passions of acting, singing, reading, writing, and running. Recently, my eight year old brother and […]
“A house divided cannot stand.” That famous declaration of Abraham Lincoln’s looms large today. It seems like every day we receive further evidence of just how divided we are. Americans increasingly can’t agree on what our nation is, who it includes, how it should be governed, or what common values we honor and respect. In […]
Click Here to make your gift now and join the list! Why 39? 39 is the number of delegates who signed the U.S. Constitution at the Constitutional Convention! Your generous gifts fund our Constitution Education Programs: The George Washington – We Are All Americans – School Speaking Program; “We The Future” Contest; our yearly 90 […]
Brandon Vanderford is the CEO of Vanderford Capital Research Group and a Crypto-Economist. Brandon is currently doing research and forecasting analysis of crypto-currency / commodity markets. Brandon has owned and operated a state-of-the-art recording studio and video production company in the DFW area for nearly 16 years. In that time he has worked with top […]
Victoria Bauman is a successful creative entrepreneur. Her passion for the arts and creative expression began at an early age while attending a Waldorf School where the arts are fostered and connected to all aspects of the learning process. She continued her study in the arts while attending a high school specifically for the arts […]
Alexandra Gusinski, a 12-year-old, residing in Greenwich, Connecticut – is a first-generation American born in Los Angeles, on December 25, 2007. She is of Israeli-Russian descent and is the granddaughter of Russian-Israeli media tycoon, Vladimir Gusinsky. As a nature and marine life enthusiast, at age ten she received her Junior PADI Open Water Scuba Diver […]
Juliette Turner, daughter of actress Janine Turner, served as National Youth Director for Constituting America from 2010-2017. In 2017, she was appointed Executive Director. Juliette currently serves on the Constituting America Board of Directors. She is the author of Our Constitution Rocks (2012), Our Presidents Rock (2014), and the novel That’s Not Hay in My […]
Tim Bowling has nearly 30 years of experience in the Medical Device and Biotechnology Industry. He resides in Orlando Florida, and is currently Vice President of Sales for MicroGenDX, a company specializing in Molecular Diagnostics of Infectious Disease. Prior to his career in the medical industry, He served in the U.S. Army in the 24th […]
As we celebrate the 227th anniversary of the adoption of the Bill of Rights (December 15, 2018), American politics and civic life seems more and more divided. The founding generation often saw a political environment that was just as divided as ours, if not even more so. Virginia statesman James Madison gives us an example of principled compromise to achieve the principles of limited government and inalienable rights as he became the “father of the Bill of Rights.”
Are you allowing political discussions at your holiday gatherings? Probably not. Our society is losing the ability to have a civil civic conversation. And this is bleeding into our ability to discuss meaningful political issues, even with those we love. My generation wants to change this. And we can, if we are given […]
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee78 requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanks-giving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
Winner, Turner Maurice Gauntt, Jr. Exemplary Citizen Award Miranda Chastain is currently in her first year attending Texas A&M University but is already an academic sophomore due to earning over 30 hours of college credit while in high school. She is pursuing a degree in International Studies – Politics and Diplomacy Track, and will be […]
Winner, Best Constitution Lesson Plan Michelle Neyrey, 50, Best Teacher Lesson Plan winner, was born in Louisiana now living in Kingwood, Texas with her husband Keith. Michelle is a mother of twin boys. She has taught middle school for over 17 years in both private and public school. She feels if students experience history through […]
Best College PSA By Jorne Gilbert Jorne Gilbert, 21, has spent the last two years of education at Muhlenberg College where he studied Music and was able make 30 tackles last year as a DE on the Mules Football Team. Jorne is proud to have participated in Constituting America and would like to thank those […]
Adams was exasperated and yelled, “Am I gagged?” He argued that the gag rule was a “direct violation of the Constitution of the United States, the rules of this House, and the rights of my constituents.” He declared the gag rule a threat to free, deliberative government: “The freedom of debate has been stifled in this House to a degree far beyond anything that ever has happened since the existence of the Constitution.”
After the decisive Battle of Yorktown in October of 1781 where General George Washington’s army defeated and captured the British army commanded by General Charles Cornwallis, the British sued for peace. America had finally won the independence that Jefferson had written about in his famous Declaration formalized by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. It took more than five years of war to win that freedom. Now came the difficult task of establishing a nation dedicated to the principles of freedom and self-government.
Land of Dreams – By Norm Cady & Jeff Lewis Norm Cady I am writing to introduce myself, my music and my love of country. My home is in a small community in western New York. Although I have worked most of my life as a contractor, I have also spent most of my life as a musician […]
INTRODUCTION Day 1 – Introduction: The United States Congress And Its Place In Constitutional Government – Guest Essayist: Professor William Morrisey Day 2 – Introduction Part 2: The United States Congress Today – Guest Essayist: Professor William Morrisey CONGRESS: THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH Day 3 – Beginnings of The United States Congress as the Legislative Branch […]
Against the arbitrary rule of George III, the American Founders opposed the rule of law. On the most fundamental level, in their Declaration of Independence, they appealed to the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God against tyrannical violations of the unalienable rights established by those laws. Eleven years later, in designing the human, conventional, constitutional law that reframed the federal government, the Founders established a republican regime intended to prevent the return of arbitrary rule to their country.
As an educator at The Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy in Dallas, I have the unique opportunity to touch the lives of over 160 young men in my 7th grade Texas History and 8th grade US History classes. Not long ago, we had actress Janine Turner founder and co-chair of of Constituting America come to my class to speak to our young men about the relevancy of the US Constitution today.
Dwayne Horner’s love of country and love of our U.S. Constitution drew him to become a part of Constituting America and its goal of educating America on the greatest gift given to us: the U.S. Constitution. Dwayne has been involved in all aspects of civic engagement from serving as a senior advisor to Governor Rick […]
Courtney Janecka is the best high school song winner for 2020! Click below to listen to Courtney’s song!