Testimonials

"The Center for the Constitution at Montpelier conducts a series of seminars on the Constitution. For those who cannot attend in person, the Center has created a free course on their website. The interactive online course includes text instructions, video discussions with constitutional scholars, and quizzes to test the student’s knowledge. I have taken the first of seven sessions and found it to be accurate, not politicized, and paced to keep the student’s interest. The seminars and online course were originally designed for teachers, but work well for any inquisitive student of the Constitution."

(source: http://www.whatwouldthefoundersthink.com/learning-about-the-constitution)

"The Center for the Constitution’s online “Introduction to the Constitution” course is superb – solid, informative, enjoyable and user friendly.  The mini-videos are entertaining and enlightening, as are the readings.  The readings contain lots of detail and the discussions are substantive.  The Declaration of Independence exegesis, for example, was thoughtful and textured in noting that the Declaration, while not creating a structure of government, clearly implies certain principles undergirding the separation of powers and functions of government.

Overall, the written web text is solid and well-written – very direct and even usefully punchy at times.  For example, the text notes that the Constitution was drafted in 1787, ratified in 1788, and operating in 1789.  The online course is also splendidly topical, raising a variety of interesting contemporary questions, for example, directly addressing our debate over purported “gridlock” and “dysfunction” in our politics today.  Or for example, the discussion of the Vice Presidency touches on the recently debated question as to whether the Vice Presidency is an executive or legislative office.  It is, of course, both!  Similarly topical, one web cartoon says about the parties “they won’t agree on anything.”  And that was in 1922!  The more things change, the more they stay the same, perhaps?

There are, of course, other examples where the online course neatly touches on issues we are still debating today.  Our greatest Supreme Court Chief Justice, John Marshall, famously said that federalism would prove to be a question “perpetually arising.”  The same can be said about a number of key constitutional controversies effectively outlined in the Center for the Constitution’s online course.

Our practice today of the Founders’ principles is an ongoing debate and discourse.  The Center for the Constitution’s online course is a delightful and insightful production.  A great opportunity to learn." - Dr. Wlliam F. Connelly, Jr., John K Boardman Professor of Politics, Washington and Lee University