Lesson 1: Freedom - An Idea Whose Time Has Come 
Reading Assignment: The Making of America, pages xv-12 
Pre-lesson questions for homework study and review: 

1. Generally speaking, who are the people we call the founding fathers of our country? (Pages xv-xxxi) Who are the Founding Farthers? 
1) Signers (55) of the Constitution. 2) Debaters of Ratification Process (66): John Adams (not in Convention) = 121 people + founding mothers, others.

2. Identify six of the founders whose descriptions particularly impressed you, and tell why. (xv- xxix) 
	1.) Benjamin Franklin. well known to be the greatest philosopher... operations of nature he understands...the very heaves obey him" 
	2.) William Peirce (no comments entire sessions, only wrote, what made them believable) 
	3.) Alexander Hamilton (xx) no skimming surface...sins to the bottom to see the foundation" ~through!
	4.) James Madison ablest best informed men at the constitution 
	5.) Gouvenor Morris - wittiest man at the convention. "charms, captivates, leads away all the senses of all who hear him" -- also the Preamble’s author!
	6.) William Patterson -- "one whose powers break in upon you and establishes power...great modesty..."looks bespeak talents of no great extent"
	7.) George Washington -- "contented with being only a plain citizen"
	8.) James Wilson -- born in Scotland, accent same, knew "all the political institutions of the world he knows in detail"
		[an assembly of the greatest of all possible men where there!]
also: John Jay, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, etc.

3. Show statistically how the Constitution elevated the United States to the wealthiest nation on earth. (1) The World's Greatest Success Formula
America by 1900 > – less than 1/16 of World's population – less than 1/16 of world's land 
+producing over 1/2 of goods and services!
Three Things All Mankind Seeks
	o Freedom	o Prosperity	o Peace

4. Name seven revolutions that have occurred in human history, and tell which one was the key to the others. (2-3) Freedom Produced 6 Revolutions
1r industrial | 2r machine | 3r transportation | 4r communication |5r energy | 6r computer | 7r key= Freedom

5. Tell the reasoning given by Charles Pinckney which motivated the founders to invent a whole new system of government. (3-4) 
[freedom flows from and then to the people in an election.]

6. Explain the founders' view of human nature. (4) Human Nature [founder’s beliefs]
	| - sunshine [pilgrims] | - shadow [hitler]

7. Sometimes we refer to the establishment of America as a "miracle." Support that position with quotations from the founders. (5) 
G. Washington - "little short of a miracle"
J. Madison - less than a miracle"
J. Adams - "opening of a grand design and scene"

8. It was considered good fortune that Providence had blessed America with the ideal "cultural soil" in which freedom could nourish. 
Tell how John Jay, the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, described this American culture. (5-6) 

9. Describe the founders' vision for America in terms of geography, population, and worldwide influence. (6-8) 
10. Even before the ink was dry on America's founding documents, foreigners realized that the American system was the hope of the world. 
Who were some of these foreigners, and how did they express their enthusiasm for America? (8-9) 
DeToqueville -- high admiration of America.
British Prime Minister Gladstone - "greatest piece of work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man"
11. What was the occasion of Samuel Langdon's 1788 speech before the Massachusetts legislature? What advice did he give about electing people to public office? (9-10) Samuel Langdon’s advise about whom to elect to office: men of 1) good understanding 2)known honesty 3) fear God (love of truth) 4)no immoral people

12. In what ways did the founding fathers differ from each other? > remarkable unanimity How, then, do we explain their remarkable unanimity in fundamental beliefs? (10-11) > read mostly the same books

13. What do you think the founders would say today, more than 200 years later, about how well we have preserved the system they gave to us? 
This course is designed to help each participant experience the thrill of walking down the "freedom trail" which the founders already blazed. Are you ready? (11-12) 

14. Among all the things America exports to foreign lands today, what should be our greatest export of all? (12)  Freedom