Advancing the great experiment

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Dear Friends,

On this day 236 years ago, the U.S. Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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The document was the product of a long, hot summer full of bitter debate and difficult compromises.

Thomas Jefferson once called the Constitutional Convention an “assembly of demigods” – wise statesmen such as Benjamin Franklin stuck through the difficult work of bringing together sectional interests and uniting around a vision of America’s future.

The result of their deliberations was a triumph unlike anything the world has ever seen. The U.S. Constitution is one the oldest constitutions still in use because it works so well. The delegates planned wisely and adhered to eternal principles such as limited government and popular sovereignty. By all accounts, the signing of the Constitution was a major victory for the proposition that all people are created free.

But signing the document wasn’t the end of the story.

The Framers had to convince the fractious people of the thirteen original states to ratify the proposed Constitution. Disagreements were fierce. Some of the Revolution’s greatest heroes, such as Patrick Henry, were pitted against those they fought alongside, such as George Washington. Even some patriotic families, such as the Adamses of Massachusetts, were divided over the new plan for government.

In the midst of all the rancor and argument, some of the Framers decided to partner up and write a defense of the Constitution. John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton together adopted the pseudonym “Publius” and wrote one of the greatest works of political theory known to man – the Federalist Papers ([link removed]) .

“It has been frequently remarked that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country, by their conduct and example, to decide the important question,” Publius wrote in Federalist 1 ([link removed]) , “whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions on accident and force.”

In other words, the Constitution was an experiment. The Framers were testing whether reason can prevail in a republic. For most of human history, societies were led by dictators, oligarchies, or mobs. The new American republic was offering something new and different: a regime in which the people governed for the common good.

As the Jack Miller Center celebrates Constitution Day, we not only remember the contributions of great statesmen like the Founders – we also recollect how important the citizen is to this constitutional experiment in self-government. That’s why we sponsor lectures and programs ([link removed]) all across the country in honor of Constitution Day.

That’s also why we invest in the talent pipeline for civics professionals. From K-12 teachers to college professors, we know that teaching students about America’s principles and history is an essential mission. As our founder and chairman Jack Miller says, “The battle for the soul of our nation will be won or lost in our classrooms.”

If you would like to support the Jack Miller Center in this vital work, we invite you on this Constitution Day to consider donating. Together, we can usher in a new civic renewal. To learn more, click here ([link removed]) .

Yours gratefully,
Hans Zeiger
President, Jack Miller Center
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
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The Jack Miller Center
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484-436-2060

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Jack Miller Center
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