Experience the American dream with today’s Patriot of the Past interview. I’m your host, John Gillespie.
It’s August 7, 1789. I’m with President George Washington. He has just signed the Northwest Ordinance.
JG: “President Washington, what does the Northwest Ordinance state about the key to good government?”
GW: “Mr. Gillespie, Article Three states religion, morality and knowledge are necessary to good government for the happiness of mankind. Schools should be the means of this education forever.”
The Northwest Ordinance was passed by the same Congress that wrote the first amendment, which stressed the free exercise of religion.
Read more about George Washington and the Northwest Ordinance.
John and Jan Gillespie are the founders of the Rawhide Boys’ Ranch; they have fostered 351 teenagers and wrote the book Our 351 Sons; they have also assisted numerous churches in developing youth programs and expanding their total church ministries. After running for U.S. Senate, John founded 1776 American Dream, which exists to demonstrate the vision of our founding fathers and help our generation of youth passionately embrace those values.
