The study, The Coming Crisis in Citizenship by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, revealed what many of us already knew: American college students are learning frightfully little about America’s heritage. In fact, in some institutions, seniors know less than incoming freshman about our heritage. Without an understanding of the rights and responsibilities which go along with our liberty, it is difficult to defend it. As George W. Curtis said in a speech delivered in 1877,
While good men sit at home, not knowing that there is anything to be done, nor caring to know; cultivating a feeling that politics are tiresome and dirty, and politicians vulgar bullies and bravoes; half persuaded that a republic is the contemptible rule of a mob, and secretly longing for a splendid an vigorous despotism–then remember it is not a government mastered by ignorance, it is a government betrayed by intelligence; it is not the victory of the slums, it is the surrender of the schools; it is not that bad men are brave, but that good men are infidels and cowards. The Public Duty of Educated Men
But we have nothing to fear from that because in Public Law 108-447, the 108th Congress declared,
Each educational institution that receives Federal funds for a fiscal year shall hold an educational program on the United States Constitution on September 17 of such year for the students served by the education institution.
Ironically, there are only two institutions I know of that do not accept Federal funds, both of which place a heavy emphasis on the US Constitution (Hillsdale and Patrick Henry).
One day devoted to the document which established and preserves preserves our liberty. I’m sure that is sufficient to educate the next generation for liberty.
Principled Discovery is a place to stop and discuss news and information related to faith, family and particularly education. Pour yourself a cup of tea and join the conversation! 
We take care of those things which are important to us, those things we love. It is true with ideas, it is true with freedom and rights. Those who have little understanding of how we obtained our freedom or how our founding fathers intended to protect our rights will not take care of them.
The Constitution was intended to remind us that God given rights should be protected from government, not at all what some feel; that governments are the source of rights. May we have a love and an attitude of gratitude, enough to preserve these rights as intended so long ago.
“To know me is to love me.” - like T.F. says, we take care of what we love.
If Americans don’t KNOW America - her freedoms, rights, and origins, how can they LOVE her?
Of my 7 children, one being to young at this point to have a high school or college education, only one has a real interest in history and politics and the other five are truly put off by both…and it doesn’t matter that both dad and I value and discuss both daily, have maintained a home that has valued and created an environment rich in both–they turn their rebellious heads to it all.
One, now at the age of 28 seems to be showing some slight interest. Two that remain indifferent do get good grades in the subjects at school, but cannot and do not apply any of it to their lives. Only the one follows current events and politics daily, applies the histories and struggles of the past to present day situations, discusses them with many different people, engages his friends and family in the ideals he finds important in the issues and continues to want to learn and discover more…and my youngest does seem to be following in the same footsteps.
Now I wonder if it does have to do with their public education or an overall complacency in their generation? As these children have basically been raised in the same home, by the same parents for the last 12 years.
Nice thoughts, T.F. Thank you for adding them.
Jennifer, that is so true. If we do not love it, we will not preserve it or see the necessity to even bother referring to it.
Shawna, I think each child it unique with unique interests and talents. Parenting and schooling certainly contributes a great deal to our interests and values, but nothing is an absolute.
I went through the public school system and have an intense interest in these kinds of matters. Was it the schooling? In some respects, yes. Not that I was taught these values explicitly, but I learned early that to be conservative in a liberal institution, I needed to write better and defend myself better to earn the grade.
If we raised every child to have the same interest in history and our Constitution, we would be doing their individuality a disservice. But to have a general knowledge and respect for the rights recognized therein? The sacrifices which brought it about? That is a reasonable goal, and it sounds like something you were able to achieve with your children, even if their real interests lie elsewhere.
Happy Constitution Day!
Some people are certainly serious about preserving the legacy as of today.
http://www.theahi.org/home/
Very true, Dana. But beyond personal interest or even seeing a value, I don’t think the current or even maybe the past generation or two see much relevance of liberty in their lives; they seem very complancent about it: what it means, what it entails, what it cost, how it was established, worked out and fought for and won.
(Not saying relevance is not there, just that they do not seem see it…it’s as if they feel entitled so why care how or why it was established/won.)
Anyway, just want to clarify my usually rambling answer LOL
It looks like those of us who are committed to raising up a generation that knows about liberty have our work cut out for us!
I am looking for a future more free even than the past.
Let’s get to it!
ThirstyJon
freedomthirst.com
Thanks Hercules and Thirstyjon.
Shawna, I think complacency is the real cause of the problem. One of our founding fathers (Jefferson?) said that the tree of liberty needed regular watering with the blood of martyrs.
I wish it didn’t come to that. But you can see it even in Christianity. Where are the most passionate for Christ? In persecuted nations where faith can cause death.
Yes, it was Jefferson who said that thing about the tree of liberty.
However, I think he was mistaken in that belief, that we needed a rebellion (like Shay’s Rebellion) every twenty years. Jefferson made this statement in 1787, during the time that he was being heavily influenced by the humanist thinking of the French Enlightenment (he was then residing in that country).
His other fellow-Founders, though they did not believe that the people should blindly follow the government, knew that public disorder was not in any way productive of public order, much less the way to preserve a government of law.
If we want to be free, we should be WILLING to give our lives, but not forsake orderliness and lawfulness. I know that it was not your point to advise “mobocracy”; but nevertheless, there is a better way to preserve freedom without having regular revolutions. Jefferson never bore arms during the Revolution, and therefore, wars and bloodshed were not as serious to him as they were to say, Washington, Hamilton, and the Continental Army, who weren’t winning their American Revolution so that their kids could go up and get killed in another war with big government. They fought and won that war so that their posterity would not have to.
The only reason we have lost our liberty, is that we have become complacent (as you said) and without virtue, as a people. I think that now-a-days, taking up arms would be perfectly appropriate, and I am willing to pay the price. But it should not have been this way. Yes, it doesn’t have to come to the regular shedding of blood to preserve liberty. Liberty demands a price of every generation, but it should not require the blood of every generation. But because we have lost our virtue as a people, we have lost our liberty, and it may cost us our lives and the lives of the next generation.
Thank you, Hercules…and I very much agree with you. I do not think that violence is generally a solution to anything. The only point I was trying to make is that without agitation, we do become complacent.
Look at the Christian church. It seems to thrive best where persecuted most. Here in the United States, we have some of the greatest religious freedom in the world, despite the claims of persecution many or prone to make. But the church seems weak, adopting the culture and setting the scriptures aside.
You are absolutely right, Dana. The Christian church in the modern free world has become complacent and acceptive of modern culture, at the tragic expense of biblical living. I have been contemplating the words of Francis Schaeffer’s book, A Christian Manifesto (a must-read), and I think that the only solution to the Church’s problem is either a supernatural revival, or persecution.
I don’t claim to predict the future, and I do remain hopeful to a degree, but a mass persecution seems more eminent than revival. I can say, however, that I become very encouraged as I see more and more Christians understand the root of the problem, as well as the solution.