Press Release
The University of US
Submitted by Howard Pines
September 28, 2017 1:30 p.m.
The University of US, a part of the U.S. Constitution Scholarship Foundation. kicked off its second year of operation on September 25 with Dr. John Baker leading a class of 68 students from all four Nassau County high schools, Home School Programs and a private school. His subject was the development of the U.S. Constitution with heavy emphasis on the Federalist Papers. He discussed what differentiates the U.S. government from other types of government, particularly authoritarian governments like China and the parliamentary governments of the European Union.
Dr. Baker also highlighted the importance of the Federalist and anti-Federalist sides of the early constitutional discussions explaining how individuals like Baron de Montesquieu, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson influenced the content and the compromises which made our form of government and our Constitution a reality. Dr. Baker explained, with a lot of interaction from the students, important principles like the separation of powers and the novel approach of people having the right of citizenship rather than being subjects as in the British Empire. At the end of the session, the students were divided into groups of reporters who picked one representative to question James Madison (Dr. Baker) about the Constitution.
In addition to the opportunity to learn about the Constitution, the students who successfully complete the program will earn a Certificate of Graduation and the juniors/seniors will have the opportunity to compete for five $5,000 scholarships. Next month, Judge Adrian Soud will discuss the Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.