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LESSON OVERVIEW Grade: 8th Grade Civics Time: 50–60 minutes Materials: Pocket Constitution, student handout, whiteboard/projector ESSENTIAL QUESTION "Why does a document written 235 years ago still matter to every American alive today?" LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Explain why 2026 is historically significant for the United States 2. Identify at least three key principles of the U.S. Constitution 3. Connect the Constitution's founding ideals to modern American life 4. Art

On April 30, 2026 — the 237th anniversary of George Washington's first inauguration — The 917 Society gathered at St. Paul's Chapel in Lower Manhattan to retrace one of the most sacred steps in American history. Washington's Prayer Walk: Rededicate America 250 to God brought together patriots, educators, and civic leaders from across the country to walk in the footsteps of our first president — from Federal Hall to St. Paul's Chapel, the very place where Washington knelt in

Freedom must be taught, protected, and passed on. The 917 Society is placing Americas founding documents into the hands of students across the country.

On April 30th, 1789, George Washington walked from Federal Hall to St. Paul's Chapel and dedicated the newborn United States of America to God. On April 30th, 2026 — 237 years later to the day — we walked it again. What made this year's rededication walk extraordinary wasn't just the ceremony, the prayer, or the moment Rodgar led us in rededication at the same altar where Washington once knelt. It was the people who showed up. Patriots, history lovers, and friends of the 917

Before there was a Constitution… Before there was a Bill of Rights… There was prayer. In 1774, the First Continental Congress opened in prayer. In 1789, after taking the oath of office, President George Washington walked to church at St. Paul’s Chapel to dedicate the new nation to God. Faith was not hidden. It was not silenced. It was not confined to the private sphere. The Founders understood something profound: Freedom requires virtue. Virtue requires moral truth. And moral

Most Americans have never heard his name… Roger Sherman is the only Founder to sign all four of these documents: • The Continental Association (1774) • The Declaration of Independence (1776) • The Articles of Confederation (1781) • The U.S. Constitution (1787) That’s right — all four. And during the Constitutional Convention, Sherman helped craft what we now call the Great Compromise” — creating our two-chamber Congress: The House (representation by population) The Senate (