Connecticut

The People of Connecticut acknowledging with gratitude, the good providence of God, in having permitted them to enjoy a free government; do, in order more effectually to define, secure, and perpetuate the liberties, rights and privileges which they have derived from their ancestors; hereby, after a careful consideration and revision, ordain and establish the following constitution and form of civil government.

Sec. 15. Every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself
and the state.

Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
Nehemiah 9:21

Liberty was the darling object of the first settlers of this country. Animated with the hope of enjoying those civil and religious rights, which Heaven designed for the virtuous, they bade adieu to the joys of a more social life, and, surrounded with the horrors of death in a thousand different shapes, they took possession of the fair territory we now inhabit. In the anticipation of liberty, plenty, and peace, they braved all dangers and hardships.

1701 Yale College founded by Connecticut Presbyterian ministers seeking local alternative to Harvard.

O let us strive that ever we
May let these words our watch cry be
Where e'er upon life's sea we sail:
"For God, for country, and for Yale!"

1741 Jonathan Edwards gave Commencement Address at Yale in midst of the Great Awakening; Yale and Harvard authorities opposed English revivalist George Whitefield.

Yale: Yale University was founded in 1701 as the Collegiate School in Killingworth, Connecticut, by church ministers of the colony. The upper students studied where the rector lived, and groups of the lower students were taken by their tutors to different towns.

The ten clergymen who were the founders and first trustees of the College were graduates of Harvard. The Mather family was in favor of a seminary that was stricter in theology than Harvard, and they worked toward that end. The Connecticut legislature granted a charter which likely was in part drafted by Judge Samuel Sewall of Boston which stated that the school's purpose was to instruct youth in the arts and sciences that they be fitted for public employment, both in church and civil state. The clergy who controlled the College believed theology was the basis of arts and sciences. The first charter required that the trustees of the College be ministers.

In 1716 the school moved to New Haven; and it was renamed after Elihu Yale because he donated the largest single gift to the college before 1837. He was the grandson of Ann Boyd Yale Eaton, whose second husband was Theophilus Eaton, one of the founders of New Haven Colony. Elihu had amassed great wealth in India as governor of the East India Company's settlement at Madras and had been persuaded by Cotton Mather and Jeremiah Dummer to make a contribution to the college.

The College aimed to keep the purity of the Calvinist doctrine as part of their institution. In 1722 the rector, Timothy Cutler, was dismissed because he leaned toward Episcopacy. In 1740, a division in Connecticut was inspired by George Whitefield between "Old Lights" and "New Lights." The "Old Lights" contended that the College did not owe its foundation to the original trustees and that the first charter granted by the legislature should control the College. However, control was granted to the trustees which resulted in Yale's growth being stunted because the legislature shut off financial aid.

Beginning in the nineteenth century, the college expanded enormously to eventually become a world renowned university and a major economic factor in the city. Numerous schools were added such as medicine (1813), divinity (1822), law (1824), graduate studies (1847), art and architecture (1865), music (1894), forestry (1900), nursing (1923), engineering (1932), drama (1955), and organization and management (1975). Further expansion included the founding of the Institute of Far Eastern Languages. The Yale Library, one of the largest in the nation, houses a large number of important collections. Also notable are the Peabody Museum of Natural History, the Yale Art Gallery, and the Yale Center for British Art. The Yale University Press was established in 1908. See: E. Oviatt, The Beginnings of Yale (1916, reprinted 1969); J. Lever and P. Schwartz, Women at Yale (1971); B. M. Kelley, Yale: A History (1974).S F. B. Dexter, A Selection from the Miscellaneous Historical Papers of Fifty Years (1918); biography by H. Bingham (1939, reprinted 1968).

That none may Expect to be admitted into this College unless upon Examination of the President and Tutors, They shall be found able Extempore to Read, Construe and Parce Tully, Virgil and the Greek Testament: and to write True Latin Prose and to understand the Rules of Prosodia, and Common Arithmetic, and shall bring Sufficient Testimony of his Blameless and inoffensive Life.

That no Person shall be admitted a Freshman into this College who is more than Twenty one Years old, unless by the special allowance of y^e President and Fellows or their Committee.

That no Person shall be admitted Undergraduate in this College until his Father, Guardian or some proper Person hath given a Sufficient Bond to the Steward of the College, to pay the Quarter Bills of the s^d Scholar allowed by the authority of College from Time to Time as long as He shall continue a Member of s^d College....

All Scholars Shall Live Religious, Godly and Blameless Lives according to the Rules of God[']s Word, diligently Reading the holy Scriptures the Fountain of Light and Truth; and constan[t]ly attend upon all the Duties of Religion both in Publick and Secret.

That the President, or in his absence One of the Tutors Shall constantly Pray in the College-Hall every morning and Evening: and Shall read a Chapter or Suitable Portion of the Holy Scriptures, unless there be Some other Theological Discourse or Religious Exercise: and Every Member of the College whether Graduates or Undergraduates, whether Residing in the College or in the Town of New-Haven Shall Seasonably Attend upon Penalty that every Undergraduate who Shall be absent (without Sufficient Excuse) Shall be Fined one Penny and for coming Tardy after the Introductory Collect is made Shall be fin'd one half penny.

The President is hereby Desired as he hath Time & Opportunity to make and Exhibit in the Hall Such a public Exposition, Sermon or Discourse as he shall think proper for the Instruction of y^e Scholars, and when He Shall See cause So to do and Give public Notice thereof, Every Undergraduate Shall be Obliged to Attend upon the Same Penalty as aforesaid ....

No student of this College Shall attend upon any Religious Meetings either Public or Private on the Sabbath or any other Day but Such as are appointed by Public Authority or Approved by the President upon Penalty of a Fine, Public Admonition, Confession or Otherwise according to the Nature or Demerit of the Offence.
That if any Student Shall Profane the Sabbath by unnecessary Business, Diversion, Walking abroad, or making any Indecent Noise or Disorder on the Said Day, or on the Evening before or after, or Shall be Guilty of any Rude, Profane, or indecent Behaviour in the Time of Public Worship, or at Prayer at any Time in the College Hall, He Shall be punished, Admonished, or otherwise according to the nature and Demerit of his Crime ....

Every Student Shall diligently apply himself to his Studies in his Chamber as well as attend upon all Public Exercises appointed by the President or Tutors, and no Student Shall walk abroad, or be absent from his Chamber, Except Half an hour after Breakfast, and an hour and an half after Dinner, and from prayers at Night to Nine o' the Clock, without Leave, upon Penalty of Two Pence or more to Six pence, at the Discretion of y^e President and Tutors.

To this End the President or Tutors Shall, by Turns, or as They conveniently can visit Student's Chambers after Nine O'Clock, to See whether They are at their Chambers, and apply themselves to their Studies.

That the President and Each of the Tutors Shall according to the best of their Discretion Instruct and bring forward their respective Classes in the Knowledge of the Three Learned languages, and in the Liberal Arts and Sciences. In the first Year They Shall principally Study the Tongues & Logic, and Shall in Some measure pursue the Study of the Tongues the Two next Years. In the Second Year They Shall Recite Rhetoric, Geometry and Geography. In the Third Year Natural Philosophy, Astronomy and Other Parts of the Mathematics. In the Fourth Year Metaphysics and Ethics. And the respective Classes Shall Recite Such Books, and in Such a manner as has been accustomed, or Such as the President upon the Consultation with the Tutors Shall think proper.

Every Saturday Shall Especially be allot[t]ed to the Study of Divinity, and the Classes Shall dureing the whole Term recite the Westminster Confession of Faith received and approved by the Churches in this Colony, Wollebius, Ames Medulla, or any other System of Divinity by the Direction of the President and Fellows: and on Friday Each Undergraduate in his order about Six at a Time Shall Declaim in the Hall in Latin, Greek, or Hebrew and in no other Language without Special leave from the president; and Shall presently after Deliver up his Declamation to his Tutor, fairly written and Subscribed. And the two Senior Classes Shall Dispute in the Fall Twice a week; and if any Undergraduate Shall be Absent from Reciting or Disputing without Sufficient Reason, He Shall be fined two pence; and from Declaiming Six Pence.

If any Scholar Shall be Guilty of Blasphemy, Fornication, Robbery, Forgery, or any other such Great and Atrocious Crime he Shall be Expelled forthwith.

If any Scholar Shall deny the Holy Scriptures or any part of Them to be the Word of God: or be guilty of Heresy or any Error directly Tending to Subvert the Fundamentals of Christianity, and continuing Obstinate Therein after the first and Second Admonition, He shall be Expelled.

If any Scholar shall be Guilty of Profane Swearing, Cursing, Vowing, any Petty or Implicit Oath, Profane or Irreverent Use of the Names, Attributes, Ordinances or Word of God; Disobedient or Contumacious or Refractory Carriage toward his Superiours, Fighting, Striking, Quarrelling, Challenging, Turbulent Words or Behaviour, Drunkenness, Uncleaness, lacivious Words or Actions, wearing woman's Apparel, Defrauding, Injustice, Idleness, Lying, Defamation, Tale bareing or any other Such like immoralities, He Shall be Punished by Fine, Confession, Admonition or Expulsion, as the nature and Circumstances of the case may Require.

If any Person be Guilty of Stealing, He Shall besides the Fine Pay Trible Damage and in all other cases of Injustice Shall make full Restitution to the Party injured.

If any Scholar Shall break open any Other Scholar[']s Door or Open it with a Pick-Lock or a False Key, He Shall be Fined One Shilling for the first Offence: and Two Shillings for the Second: and for the Third publickly admonished, Degraded or Expelled.

If any Scholar Shall Play at Cards or Dice at all: or at any Lawfull Game upon a Wager: or Shall bring any Quantity of Run, Wine, Brandy or other Strong Liquor into College or into his Chamber where he Resides without Liberty from the President or Tutors, or Shall Go into any Tavern within Two miles of College and call for any Strong Liquor, or Spend his Time idly there unless with his Parent or Guardian, he sall for the first Offence be Fined Two Shillings and Sixpence, or be admonished: and for the Second Offence be Fined Five Shillings and be Degraded: and for the Third Offence be Expelled: and if any Scholar Shall Play at swords, Files or Cudgels, He Shall be Fined not Exceeding One Shilling.

That the President or Either of the Tutors may when he See Cause Break open any College Door to Suppress any Disorder; And if any Scholar Shall refuse to Give the President or Either of the Tutors admittance into his Chamber when Demanded, or to assist in Suppressing any Disorder when required; or to come when he is Sent for, or to Give in Evidence when he is called, he Shall be Fined Two Shillings; or be punished by Admonition, Confession, Degradation or Expulsion as the Nature of the Case may Require.

If any Scholar Shall behave himself obstinately, refractorily or Contemptionally toward the President or either of the Tutors, He Shall for the first Offence be punished by Fine, Admonition or Confession, or Being Deprived of the Liberty of Sending Freshman [see below] for a certain Time: For the Second offence he Shall be Degraded or Expell'd.

That if any Scholar Shall write or Publish any Libel: or raise any false or Scandalous Report of the President or either of the Fellows or Tutors or the Minister of the first Church of New-Haven, or Shall directly or indirectly Say that either of Them is a Hypocrite, or Carnal or Unconverted, or use any Such reproachful or reviling Language concerning Them, He Shall for the first Offence make a Public Confession in the Hall; and for the Second be Expelled.

If any Scholar Shall Go out of the College Yard without a Hat, Coat or Gown except at his Lawful Diversion, He Shall be Fined Three Pence: and if He Shall wear any indecent Apparell He Shall be punished not exceeding Two Shillings.

If any Scholar Shall keep a Gun or Pistol, or Fire one in the College-Yard or College, or Shall Go a Gunning, Fishing or Sailing, or Shall Go more than Two Miles from College upon any Occasion whatsoever: or Shall be present at any Court, Election, Town-Meeting, Wedding, or Meeting of young People for Diversion or any Such-like Meeting which may Occasion Mispence of precious Time without Liberty first obtain'd from the President or his Tutor, in any of the cases above said he Shall be fined not exceeding Two Shillings.

That all the Scholars Shall behave Themselves inoffencively, blameles[s]ly and justly toward the People in New-Haven; not unnecessarily Frequenting their Houses, or Interesting Themselves into any Controversy among Them. And upon Complaint of any Wrong done by any Scholar to any of Them, or any other Scholar, the President Shall Order Them to Do Justice and make Restitution. And if any Scholar Shall refuse So to do, He shall be publicly Admonished, and if he continue Obstinate He Shall be Expelled and his Bond put in Sale if need be.

That Every Freshman Shall be Obliged to Go any reasonable and proper and reasonable Errand when he is Sent by any Student in any Superior Class; and if he Shall refuse So to Do he may be punished: provided that no Graduate Shall Send a Freshman out of the College Yard, and no Undergraduate Shall Send a Freshman anywhere in Studying Time, without Liberty first had from y^e President or One of the Tutors ....

If any Scholar Shall make an assault upon the Person of y^e President or either of the Tutors or Shall wound, Bruise or Strike any of Them, He Shall forthwith be Expelled.

That no Scholar Shall undertake to Do or Transact any Matters or Affairs of Difficulty and Importance, or which are any ways new or beside the common & approved Customs & Practices of the College, without first Consulting with the President and obtaining his Consent ....

The President Shall from Time to Time Dispose of the Chambers and Studies in College and assign Them to particular Scholars to Live in according to his Discretion. And if any Scholar Shall not Dwell in or Shall Move out of any Chamber assigned to him, or into any other Chamber not assigned without Liberty, he Shall be Fined One Shilling, or otherwise Punished according to the nature & Circumstances of the Offence ....

That Every Scholar who Shall Live out of College in the Town of New Haven Shall obtain Liberty of the President where to Live; and Shall not remove therefrom to any other House or Place without Liberty of the President, upon Penalty of Two Shillings.

That all Scholars who Live out of College in the Town of New Haven Shall be under the Same Regulations as those that live in ....

The Legislative Authority of the college is in the President and Fellows; who have Power to make & establish all Such Laws, Rules or Orders and Directions (not repugnant to the Laws of the Civil Government) as They Shall think proper.

That the Executive Power of this College is principally in the President; who hath Power to Govern the College & every Student thereof whether Graduate or Undergraduate; and to Order and direct all the Affairs thereof according to Such Laws and Rules & Orders as are made by the President and Fellows & in Defect of them according to the Established Customs of the College, and where there are no Such then according to the best of his Judgment and Discretion, provided that in all Cases of Difficulty & Importance he Shall consult & advise with the Tutors: and when any extraordinary Emergency Shall happen which Shall be of great Importance & require a Speedy Determination, then the President with any Two of the Fellows Shall call a Meeting of the Corporation: or if that cannot conveniently be, then he Shall consult with as many as conveniently be got together.

That Each Tutor appointed by the President & Fellows Shall under the President have the Care, Inspection and Government of the College; and the Tuition of their respective Classes: and Shall have Power to punish any Undergraduate for any Breach of the College Laws not exceeding one Shilling, provided that when any matter of Difficulty fall out he shall not proceed without the Advice & Discretion of the President ....

That every One who is chose[n] President or Tutor of this College shall before he enter upon his Office, publicly, in the College-hall give his Consent to the Westminster Confession of Faith and Ecclesiastical Discipline received [sic] by the Churches of this Colony, & Established by the Laws of this Government ....

(From Franklin B. Dexter: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates of Yale College,1896, II:2-18) (Some spelling changes)

The early settlers developed colonial charters that were decidedly evangelical in their purpose, often expressing a goal for their colony to advance the Christian religion. As the country progressed up to the revolutionary war period, state constitutions evolved from the charters. Those state constitutions served to maintain the order already established by the original charters, the charters based on Christianity.http://classroomclipart.com/cgi-bin/kids/imageFolio.cgi?globalkeywords=1 Genl. George Washington: the father of his country. Currier & Ives, [ca 1856-1907]. Prints and Photographs Division See: http://www.connecticutsar.org/articles/price_paid.htm Connecticut Society for the Sons of the American Revolution