Developing the Character of a Nation’ s Citizens
Developing the Character of a Nation’ s Citizens
By David Lantz
There’ s a lot of talk these days about what it means to be an American. The more diverse we become, the more difficulty it seems we have in answering this question. But whatever that answer might be, we should expect that, at its core, being an American means that we share some national sense of who we are – what moral virtues do we all aspire to, what ideals do we most cherish? The question is:“ How do we instill in our citizens moral qualities and ideals our nation holds dear?”
In the American experience, I believe this question is answered as follows:
The moral character of Americans is shaped through what we believe, read and experience. These three things mold who we are and hold most dear.
I’ d like to spend the next few paragraphs unpacking this idea, and how we have attempted to determine what it is our citizens will read and experience in the formation of the American character and what we believe.
George Washington’ s Call for a Nation Built on Private Morality
History records that when George Washington was sworn in as President of the United States, he was very aware of the precedent he was setting for the new nation of America. Scholars have found in his First Inaugural Addressan American application of Moses’ s warning in Deuteronomy chapter 28, in which Moses laid out the blessings God would bestow on Israel if they followed his commands, and the curses that would befall them if they failed to do so. Washington said:
No People can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the Affairs of men more than the People of the United States. … These reflections, arising out of the present crisis, have forced themselves too strongly on my mind to be suppressed. … Since we ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of Heaven, can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained: … I behold the surest pledges … that the foundations of our National policy will be laid in the pure and immutable principles of private morality; and the pre-eminence of a free Government, be exemplified by all the attributes which can win the affections of its Citizens, and command the respect of the world.
How would the young country promote“ private morality”? The founders saw the need to provide for a system of public education. In passing The Land Ordinance of 1785, they established a means for funding public education. Section 16 in each township was reserved for the maintenance of public schools. In 1836, William McGuffey published what came to be called the McGuffey Eclectic Reader. It was the nation’ s first common textbook, and sold over 120 million copies. John Westerhoff III, in his book“ McGuffey and His Readers,” wrote:
When we investigate the content of McGuffey’ s Readers, three dominant images of God emerge. God is creator, preserver, and governor.
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