From Zen and the Art of Citizenship
25 Principles. One Constitution. 250 Years.
The founding principles that shaped American liberty, explored through primary sources and the words of those who built the republic.
Preamble
The Creator, Divine Law, and the Role of Religion
The Founders grounded their vision of liberty in the conviction that human rights originate from a source higher than...
Principle 1
Natural Law
Thomas Jefferson referred to "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" in the Declaration of Independence. Natural law...
Principle 2
The Family
"The foundation of national morality must be laid in private families." — John Adams. Families are the first schools of...
Principle 3
Education
"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the...
Principle 4
Majority Rule, Minority Rights
Thomas Jefferson wrote: 'Though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be...
Principle 5
Moral and Virtuous People
John Adams wrote, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People." Virtue means practicing honesty,...
Principle 6
Virtuous Leaders
True leadership is not about seeking power but about lifting others. The Founders understood that liberty depends on...
Principle 7
Equality for All
The Declaration of Independence proclaims: "All men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain...
Principle 8
Unalienable Rights
You were born with rights. Not because a government declared it. Not because a constitution listed them. Not because a...
Principle 9
Property Rights
"Government is instituted to protect property of every sort… that alone is a just government which impartially secures...
Principle 10
National Strength
"To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace." — George Washington. Strength is more...
Principle 11
Peace, Commerce, and Friendship
"Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations — entangling alliances with none." — Thomas Jefferson....
Principle 12
Free Market Economy
The Free Market teaches that prosperity grows best when people are free to create and trade with honesty. Fair trade...
Principle 13
Burden of Debt
"We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt." — Thomas Jefferson. Debt limits choices, but saving opens...
Principle 14
Governed by Law
A free society requires that its laws be publicly known, consistently applied, and equally binding — on those who...
Principle 15
Popular Sovereignty
The power to govern does not belong to kings. It does not belong to aristocrats or bureaucrats or judges or any...
Principle 16
Alter or Abolish
"Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to...
Principle 17
Republic
The Founders did not create a democracy. They created a republic — and the distinction is not semantic. In a pure...
Principle 18
Constitution Structure
"The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon." — George Washington. The structure of the Constitution —...
Principle 19
Written Constitution
A written constitution keeps freedom safe by making sure rules are clear and trusted. When rules are written down,...
Principle 20
Local Self-Government
"The way to have good and safe government is not to trust it all to one, but to divide it among the many." — Thomas...
Principle 21
Limited Government Powers
"The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined." — James Madison,...
Principle 22
Separation of Powers
No one person or body should make the law, enforce the law, and judge the law. The moment those functions combine in a...
Principle 23
Checks and Balances
Separating power into three branches is necessary but not sufficient. Each branch must also possess the tools to resist...
Principle 24
Protect Equal Rights
"The true foundation of republican government is the equal right of every citizen." — Thomas Jefferson. Government...
Principle 25
America's Mission
"We have it in our power to begin the world over again." — Thomas Paine. America's mission is not to impose its values...
Explore the Principles Across the LPM Ecosystem
Each principle comes alive through children's stories, interactive civic education, and the full text of Zen and the Art of Citizenship.
Liberty's Principles Pals
28 illustrated children's books bringing each principle to life through the adventures of Ande and her friends in the Freedom Garden.
Visit siteZen and the Art of Citizenship
The full-length exploration of all 25 principles by Christopher J. Bradley, J.D. The source text behind everything LPM creates.
Visit siteThe Citizen's Compass
Interactive civic education platform with gamified learning paths, Constitution explorer, and live bill tracking for families and educators.
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