Overview
In a new land where proto-citizens embraced freedom yet unspecified by Declaration or Constitution, civil society—as we understand it today, this enmeshing of causes and institutions, unordered by law or decree—found its genesis. What was civil society like at the time of the founding, and the Revolution? How did the Founders consciously understand it? Did they envision civil society as the engine that, once the smoke of gun and canon dissipated, would inspire the promise of a promised land? And: How did some Founders themselves create or participate in the little platoons that would develop into the heart and soul of a nation? These and other questions will be posed to scholars in order to help the heirs of America’s habit of volunteerism get a deeper understanding of how truly essential charities and nonprofits are to the function and flourishing of our nation.