Since the first U.S. Congress, those entering the military have committed themselves to preserving the Constitution of the United States. On September 29, 1789, Congress passed the first military oath, which required all those entering military service to swear or affirm they would “support the constitution of the United States" (Sec.3, Ch.25, 1^stCongress). Since this law’s amendment in 1960, United States Military personnel have sworn or affirmed that they will “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic” (Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment effective 5 October 1962).

This oath holds military personnel to an even higher standard than the general public, the majority of which have difficulty listing the five rights guaranteed by the first amendment or naming the three branches of the federal government. ConSource’s mission focuses on removing the barriers to constitutional understanding that have long prevented citizens from truly connecting with the American Founding and Amendments. Towards that end, ConSource is pleased to partner with institutions seeking to strengthen the bond between American citizens and their Founding history by connecting “We the People” with the documents that shaped that history.

The United States Military Academy at West Point, in partnership with The Constitutional Sources Project, is doing just that by developing document-based curriculum, helping teachers and students improve their instruction and understanding of the U.S. Constitution. By incorporating the reliable source documents at http://www.consource.org/with their curriculum, West Point instructors help students gain a deeper awareness of the principles of the American Founding, thereby enabling those entering military service to more effectively “support and defend” the Constitution.