It's interesting that this is the first thing listed out of all the objects. With one of the best commerce schools in the nation, UVA seems to have highly valued business and educating people in this field since the beginning. To this day, UVA isn't exactly known for its medical or engineering schools but rather its McIntire School of Commerce. So, it seems that UVA is doing a relatively well job with fulfilling this object.

It is interesting to see the authors separate "men" and "citizens." "Men" corresponds with " rights, interests" and "individual happiness"; "citizens" corresponds with "duties" and "public prosperity." It implies that individuals should not isolate themselves. The higher education they receive is not only for personal interests but also for the common good. Individuals need to contribute to society.

After this semester, I understand better why languages are the foundation common to all the Sciences. In the COLA class I took, we discussed what the differences between squirrels and humans. I think it is the languages humans created that make a remarkable difference. Humans learn to communicate and share ideas with languages. Sciences are based on collective thoughts. Languages enable people to learn and build on each other's ideas. This was a step towards greater efficiency.

This part of the passage stood out to me because it suggests that the collection of knowledge is always a work in progress. In a way, this is a very moral argument in the Rockfish Gap Report because the writers understand that ideas not only may but should change over time. Perhaps they were not thinking about their own views regarding race and who the University should benefit, but they accepted the fact that as people gained more knowledge and passed it on to future generations society would change. The interpretations of many famous documents have changed, such as the Declaration of Independence for example. This document is now interpreted to mean literal equality for all, whereas at the time of its creation this was not necessarily the case.

As mentioned previously, I'm a physics major, and being at this university I've found that there are so many opportunities to get involved in the field. I think that this surplus of opportunity extends to all majors at this university, and pretty much all students continuing their education wish to "possess" these opportunities, not just "scientific students." So, based on my first semester here, UVA goes beyond their objectives outlined in the Rockfish Gap Report to offer a well-rounded experience for all students of various backgrounds.

This aspect of the University of Virginia still holds true today and I really like how there are so many buildings devoted specifically to the arts. When I was starting to look at colleges, it was clear at information sessions that some schools stressed academic classes over areas such as music. I appreciate how UVA places different areas as equally important and provides a variety of resources to help students pursue a variety of passions during their time in college. For me, I have loved being able to go to the practice modules in Old Cabell and play the piano and recently discovered the Music Library that is there as well. I also like how there are so many opportunities at UVA to get involved with music and theater and I am hoping to take advantage of these opportunities more over time.

Based on my first semester at the university, these objectives outlined are generally met. In taking the Knowledge You Can Trust engagement, I felt like that I sharpened my "reasoning faculties" and got a better sense of how to engage with media. I'm a physics major, my 1710 class is one of my favorite things at this school, and I always bring home fun facts about the physical world for my family to engage with because it makes science more approachable to them. I also feel like being in college in general has sharpened my skills of "reflection" because I have to manage my own time and figure out effective strategies for success, and struggle with hard ideas.

Our University still lives up to this statement: education is boundless. The University heavily promotes study abroad designing one's own educational experience.Education is not supposed to be constricted, and the founders understood that a very important part of cultivating a mind is through guided experiences. Therefore, it is extremely important that there is a support system in which the institution is based on. Education is very much dependent on the circumstances of the times, and without public patronage the University would not exist nor would it be as great of a Think Tank as it is.

I really appreciate the comparison between a "tutor" and a "pupil" relationship and a father and son relationship. Learning takes dedication and motivation. Professors (tutors) help students with learning by demonstrating dedication and motivation. (as would a father demonstrate these characteristics with their son) Although in college, the student is completely responsible for their own studies. Professors help guide the student to success. UVA has exceptional professors that give that one-on-one attention to students. Many professors engage with students inside and outside the classroom. UVA also gives students the chance to interact with their professors with the "take a professor out to lunch" program.

I find the use of the word "habit" to be interesting in this context. It makes sense that education is described as generating "habits of application" because education is essentially teaching people how to do things or how to apply knowledge. Education also creates a love of virtue because being educated was viewed in that time period and is viewed today as one of the highest virtues a person can obtain. What interests me most, however, is the description of education as an institution that creates order and controls the masses. The argument here is that just as education "generates habits of application", it also generates habits of moral decision making. One would argue then that a person obtains their morals and their respect of the human race only after being educated. Is this a valid argument? Are uneducated people generally less moral? In my COLA on Religion and Politics in 2017 this semester, we explored the question of if a person can have morals if they are not religious with the assumption that religion teaches people morals. I personally do believe that a person can have morals if they are not religious, but I am still not sure as to whether or not a person is simply born with morals or must be taught them throughout the course of their life. I think that the authors of this document lean more towards the side that humans must be taught morals, and education rooted in public institution helps to universalize those morals and create a community of people who share the same values.

This is a loaded statement that can be taken in a number of ways. This paragraph talks about the combination of sciences, the number of professors, and their salaries. However, it also leaves the future in the hands of "those who come after them." I feel like this engagements program is a great example of this. Mixing sciences and taking professors from their usual areas to do something new challenges the way the university was founded, but also gives it more depth. The writers were right when they said we would be more advanced than them, and something like the New College Curriculum may be something that "suits the circumstances of our day."

Here the authors attempt to alleviate the loss that the university might experience from not being able to fund a hospital on grounds. They argue that medical students will learn everything that they could possibly need to know about medicine and human anatomy in the classroom, so much so, that they will not need to study in an actual hospital for very long. I think this really speaks to the authors' beliefs that the classroom (public institution) provides a strong foundation for education which can then be easily built upon later through field experience.

It's interesting that throughout this document there is so much emphasis on the "morals" of the students. There seems to be a consensus that morals can be strengthened through education. However, this seems contradictory, since at this time slavery was being practiced, and this document speak of African Americans and Native Americans in a very derogatory manner. How can people have "strong morals" when horrific discrimination and slavery was occurring? This specific quote reminds me of the engagement classes titled "Does reading literature make us more ethical? Really?" as well as "Mortality and Morality." Obviously, there is still an emphasis on developing and strengthening morals in our present University.

It is interesting that, in the early 1800s, the founders of UVA already understood that corporal punishment was not an effective means of producing proper behavior. It took over 100 years from this point for corporal punishment to be banned in all schools in the country, while UVA had banned it in the founding document.

This really establishes the University as a liberal arts institution, which we truly do see today. The point of a liberal art education back then, and today, illustrates the idea of being a student and a learner for life. By understanding various subjects and disciplines, even if they may seem irrelevant at a certain point in your life, is extremely important in becoming a well developed citizen. Education is far more than just learning facts and regurgitating information, it is establishing your way of thinking, making yourself self aware, and being able to convey them.

I feel like the Rockfish Gap report has had relevance when looking at my first semester at UVA, especially with all the events that have happened in Charlottesville before and during the semester. The document gives a different perspective of the foundation that the university was built on rather than just talking about how Jefferson owned slaves. Even the locations that were being discussed for the location of the university were selected because they were central points of the white population. Not to say that this document would not continue to be relevant any other year, but with the events that happened this year, there is an added relevance to the document. Also August 4th is my birthday, so that's pretty cool.

My time at UVa has done justice to this written mission. I have first hand seen and experience the University's culture of honor. The acts range from taking people safely home to our vast system of volunteer programs. The University has cultivated this environment of sharing and caring, so anyone who has spent time here will become one with the University's mission. Because the University esteems honor, many students choose to partake in activities associated with the concept. From only my first semester I have both helped people get safely home from parties, and I have joined a volunteer program to help refugees with English. This is only the beginning of my education here. Over the course of the next four years, I am sure that not only will I contribute to the University's identity but also my identity will change along with the University's.

Prior to reading this document among other historical websites about the foundation of the University of Virginia, I was quite oblivious to the fact that our University was in fact intended to serve a non-diverse, white population of people. Although I had general sense of this notion, I was unaware of to extent to which it existed. To this day, although I see way more white people than those of diverse backgrounds, I think UVA has made incredible strides towards becoming an inviting, inclusive, open place where all people regardless of their sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and ethnic background can express their opinions and be heard.

As someone who may potentially work in the health field, I appreciate how despite the fact that agriculture was heavily focused on at the time, the founders planned to include a hospital for practicing medicine while designing the university and its components. This opportunity to study medicine--alongside many other sections such as military, mechanics, government, and botany-- strengthens the core principle of a liberal arts program: diversity.

This attitude of superiority is one that is often found among those who have been lucky enough to receive an education toward those who may have not been. The introduction of "barbarism" and "wretchedness" as well as "eating acorns and roots" creates a contrast that the creators of this document wish to call attention to: that they believe there is a stark difference between those who attend college and those who have not. The difference lies in intelligence as well as way of life, which they mentioned by criticizing the lack of progress made by "our indigenous neighbours". I have definitely seen an attitude similar to this held by those who attend college when they talk about those who haven't. Some people assume that just because they attend college, or UVA specifically, that they are somehow worth more than someone who perhaps goes to community college or decided not to go to college.

The assembly of the board and the writing of this document took place 199 years ago. The fact that the writers included the phrase "this present year" makes the reader go back and remember that 199 years ago to us was the present to them. We judge and evaluate everything in this document in retrospection through the eyes of the 21st century. This is not to say that some of the things that took place were justified because they didn't know better, but it highlights the fact that reality was vastly different during that time. Reading the rest of the text also points to the amount of change that has happened in society since the writing of this document.

This sentence was interesting to me because it suggests a natural link between education and morality. Primarily, Jefferson put forth the idea that a solid education leads to good character by "force of habit;" also notable, however, is the implicit suggestion that a lack of good education comes along with a danger of poor moral character. Jefferson refers to these "moral obliquities" as "innate," suggesting that the natural starting place is bad morality, rather than good. Looking at this sentence through a modern perspective, there are some obvious questions. If Jefferson believed that people needed education to improve their morals, why did he simultaneously restrict the liberty of his own slaves. Why weren't women allowed to attend UVA recently? This passage is a new way for me to look at some of the hypocrisies surrounding UVA's founding that we have discussed before.

This statement is very interesting since it speaks on the student's dieting. Now, dining halls are placed around grounds for the student's convenience. However, it is up to the student how they manage their time between eating and studying. Personally, I know that it can be difficult to remember to eat when I have to study or write a paper. Before, students didn't have dining halls. They needed to find something to eat on their own time.

After the first semester, I would like to argue that the university is trying to emphasize the connections among those groups. Teachers are usually familiar with topics covered in more than a group and the discussions in class include a wide range of topics too. In the two engagement classes I took, the topics ranged from Greek, government, political economy, history, to ethics. One professor said "you are what you read." I agreed with him and appreciated the chance to read articles about so many different topics and share ideas with my classmates.

Given the tumultuous chaos that characterized the University's early history, this is another case where the commissioners' expectations and vision for the school were largely misguided. The arrangement of the student and faculty quarters, designed to accommodate 'morals', 'order', and 'uninterrupted study', was the setting for frequent acts of rebellious havoc in which the students harassed the faculty and administration, terrorizing the pavilions and dormitories around the Lawn.

What do they mean by saying "this doctrine is the genuine fruit of the alliance between church and state"? Throughout the document it talks about freedoms, such as freedom of religion, but here it seems to contradict that.

It's interesting thinking about this proposition that states the students (all male) should come from relatively close by in order to safeguard their "ordinary wants" and care in cases of sickness. This seems to suggest that the students were not capable of taking care of themselves and being on their own. Now, looking at our current student population, students come from all over the United States, as well as around the world. (Also, both females and males attend UVA now.) Then again, my home is an hour away from grounds, and both of my parents have visited frequently for reasons that could be categorized as my "ordinary wants" and "cases of sickness." Now, students are treated more as adults rather than adolescents who still need parental supervision and assistance. I doubt the authors of the Rockfish gap could've foreseen such a diverse population, that comes from all over the world, as well as the mature capability of the students that now attend the University.

Recently, my engagements class visited the special collections library to look at early manuscripts of the Bible and other religious texts. We learned that the Bible was traditionally written in Hebrew and Greek, and then translated into Latin during the Middle Ages. On the other hand, the sacred texts of other religions, such as Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism were written in various other languages. While the founders of UVA are not explicitly promoting the Judeo-Christian tradition, it is clear that they see morality stemming from this tradition due to their emphasis on these three languages for the professor of ethics.

Not so subtly, this statement refers to the purpose behind the physical structures at UVA. This reminds me of my Engagement calls "Making the Invisible Visible" in which we went on a tour of the University. We learned that many of the spaces at UVA were "white spaces" and these spaces were tailored specifically to not only keep out people of color, but also to have them entirely out of sight. When I walk around UVA, I often think about how beautiful our campus is, but also about why I think it is beautiful. How were my ideals of beauty constructed? How were the ideals of beauty in the architecture at UVA constructed, and how is the University as a physical site enforcing a system? This sentence, well the paragraph really...makes me question UVA as a place and institution.

I was surprised to learn how common it is for middle school and high school students to study Latin in Virginia. In Little Rock, very few elementary and middle schools offered Latin. I'm glad the tradition of studying the Classics has persisted.

It's interesting to see how even in the earliest days of the University's founding, determining a base-level of educational experience the students needed to have before entering the school was an task of high priority for the commissioners. Much of my planning for what classes I decided to take during my first semester and then again for what classes I planned to take next semester was based on the educational experience I had previously obtained before coming to college. It's intriguing to see the commissioners grappling with what is essentially the simplest original form (i.e. "the Alphabet") of the complex situation that thousands of students have to encounter when they begin school.

It is interesting to me how this document is creating sentiment of dependency. It is made clear that UVA is to be a place that will produce leaders and people who will benefit the public with their contributions after they leave the University. It makes the University seem like a very important place because hope is being placed into the future of its graduates as strong public leaders.

I find this statement particularly intriguing as one of the main goals of attending UVA I had was to gain a strong sense of independence and create a foundation for myself to build on in the years after graduation (I hope...). Also, the rather rhetoric used such as "information" and "transaction" caught my attention because the Commerce school at UVA is a school I'd love to transfer into one day in order to acquire a stronger sense of independence and understanding for the business side of the world. This phrase completely applies to my first few months at UVA because I have no choice but to learn what I need on a daily basis in order to enhance my learning and development myself as a self-driven, confident person.

This phrase caught my eye as I read through the document again. I think it is interesting that, even in the earliest days of the university, there was an emphasis placed on informing citizens of their rights and duties. This relates to my first semester at UVA; there have definitely been countless time that I've passed a table or received an email giving me useful information about rights and duties. One example would be how active the UVA community is during election season. I was told in many different settings how to register to vote in Charlottesville; I was reminded through emails, class announcements and more to vote in the days leading up to the election; I took a free shuttle provided by the university to the polling location on election day. I find it interesting that this emphasis on instructing people on their rights and duties has persisted so much that I noticed it during my first semester this year.

"Ideology" would be such a broad course to offer. Was this a class on a specific ideology or popular thought at the time of the writing of the document? Or was the scope even wider? Did the class cover what it means for an ideology to be an ideology and how an ideology matures?

In order to create a university where students and faculty would be eager to attend, the writers mention the notion of needing to "furnish" the university with both a beautiful physical location and surroundings, but also furnish the institution with brilliant minds and opportunities that will leave departing students ready to embrace the challenges of everyday life after school.

The importance of not only learning about new subjects and being exposed to different types of people and backgrounds is portrayed here, but the application that education has to daily life is shown. By "generat(ing) habits," the writers of this report encourage both students in the 19th century and today to embrace the wholesome experience that UVA and being educated comes with.

This statement highlights one of the reasons I came to UVa, I really appreciated Thomas Jefferson's commitment to separation of church and state, as well as keeping the education secular. By placing this entire paragraph it truly shapes the university and the values that the council holds dear.

I feel like a modern version of this would be people judging students that choose to study art. It's weird to think sciences were considered frivolous back then, maybe opinions regarding the frivolity of an art degree will change.

The Commissioners for the University of Virginia met for four days and came to the final announcement could show their efficiency as well as their good preparations before meeting. The plan of the academical village started as early as 1817. I wanted to highlight the preparation of Thomas Jefferson. In the late 1700s, Thomas Jefferson had written a series of proposals to reform his alma mater: William and Mary. The college rejected his proposals. Then he planned to establish a university by himself in 1800. In 1804, he started to design the institution's building. From the birth of his idea to the publishing of the report, he had been extremely determined and passionate for more than 20 years.

It is interesting to see the specific aspects of the University which the Commissioners settled themselves, as compared to the many which they left up to the Board of Visitors to decide upon. Namely, they conferred upon the Visitors the responsibility to "establish rules for the government & discipline of the students...", "the premiums to be given for distinguished merit", and "what qualifications shall be required to entitle entrance into the university." My point in addressing the wide range of important decisions the Commissioners left up to Visitors is this: our goal in engaging in this Democratic Writing Project was so that it might "help us engage our place, ourselves, and one another with a clearer sense of what brings us here as well as what forces shape our differences and commonalities", as stated on the Engaging Democracy at UVA website. It seems that, while the Rockfish Gap Report provides an adequate description of the vision the Commissioners had for the University, many of the vital founding principles of the University (what values are important for admission, what indicates merit as a student, the characteristics of the government of the school, etc.) are decisions not made within the document. The Rockfish Gap Report provides an effective outline for the founding of the University, but we must include other resources, such as the decisions of the Visitors, in order to get a complete look at the founding principles which continue to influence our University to this day.

This speaks the inherent parts of human nature: to take the path that is easier. However, in order to prevent people from doing what is inherently wrong, there are measures set up to discourage such actions. This parallels to the Honor Code of the University. It sets up an environment of trust and hard work for all the students.

I am touched by the lodging part. I feel the university really cares about every aspects of students' college experience. As an international student, my dormitory is my home in the U.S. At least one fourth of my college life will be spent in my dorm. So far, I appreciate my hall mates and RAs. In addition, the residential college holds plenty of exciting activities. People are closely tied in the residential college. Thanks for those kind people making my transition easier and less stressful. I like my well-equipped dorm. Thanks UVa!

I wonder if slavery was a topic of discussion in these "ethics" classes at all, and if it was, to what extent?

The framers wanted UVa to be prestigious. Only the best of the best could come to this university. The university would teach not just academics but moral values and different ways to think. A student shouldn't be wasting the professors time or their time if they won't take education seriously.

To me, it is fascinating how the aims of the University of Virginia and purpose of having a strong, central campus still stand as prominent as they did 200 years ago. The foundation and origin of UVA parallel the notion of having a democratic voice in our country's efforts both during the times of Thomas Jefferson and to this present day. The phrase "real & personal" provides the members of the university with a sense of comfort, compassion, and camaraderie that are prevalent ideals at the University of Virginia today.

I looked this word up on google, and the two uses of the word seem to refer to a classification of fish and a mythological Greek monster composed of more than one animal, typically with the head of a goat, head of a lion, and head of a snake (pictured below). Did this word have a different meaning in the 1800s? If not, why did the writers use it here?

This quotation serves as a reminder that education is a means to develop informed citizens who can competently participate in their government.

As this university was planned to prepare students for their future careers/field of work--or at the very least, have some practical purpose in their lives--the founders wanted to provide a facility in which students can practice "military maneuvres." I just thought about how different the mentality for physical activity is now compared to when the gym was first established. Today, the gym is used for recreational purposes, specifically sports, but when the university was first planned, the gym was expected to be a place for men (since men were the only admits of the time, not to mention the ones drafted into the military) to participate in military-like activities in the case they are called for duty.

This mentions the comfort of the professors and the well being of their student, however, this section neglects to mention the living situations of the slaves who cleaned the houses, cooked for the faculty and students, kept the lawn mowed, slaughtered the pigs, gardened, etc.. UVA wasn't just built for the comfort of the Professors and students...it was also to keep them "insulated"...insulated from what? Well the serpentine walls used to be 8 feet tall so the people on the white space on grounds couldn't see the spaces the slaves were in. The lawn rooms and pavilions only face each other, and many slaves had to go out their to avoid confrontation with students and faculty. You cannot be insulated without anything to be insulated from. What was UVA trying to insulate?

It's interesting that the white man was seemingly accepting of all religions, in accordance with the Constitution, but strongly not accepting of other cultures, like the American Indians and African Americans. The white culture was only accepting of differing religions within the white culture, excluding other races and their differing religions. The excerpt displays that the writers stand strongly with the concept of separation of church and state, but this concept only pertains to the white culture. The writers state that every sect of religion in the University can have, "the means of further instruction in their own peculiar tenets," which represents an acceptance of the unordinary practices of another religion. Although the white culture was accepting of other religions on grounds that the ideology conformed with the principles in the constitution, the white culture was opposed to other "inferior," cultures, and not accepting of the differing religions they employed.

It is interesting to see that the Commissioners noted their perception that around 15 years of age would be the ideal and appropriate time for the young men to attend the University. During the first several years of the University's existence, the school and its administration endured much hardship and struggle in trying to rein in the students' delinquency, frequently having to deal with rebellious actions including threats, violence, gambling, and even harassment of professors. It seems that "safety and contentment to that distance from their parents", simply meant that these young men were ready to excessively and riotously exercise their new freedom from familial restraints.

This shows what the authors expected students to know and coming into the University so that it can be built upon in the earlier stated areas. It is only with this foundation that they can be brought to "the point at which we are to commence higher education." They were also expected to be "men and citizens" as women were not admitted to the University until the early 1900's

Student self-governance, now one of the hallmarks of UVA, was not part of the original plan for the university. Although it is not explicitly outlined, the report does include the idea that the eventual form of government should seek to instruct through "habitual appeal & exercise," rather than to punish or instill fear. Instruction, rather than punishment, is one of the main aspects of self-government at UVA today. Obviously, punishments do exist, but not for the sake of punishment itself, and there are now a great deal of resources available to learn about the different aspects of UVA student life. Although self-governance was not specifically detailed in the report, it is interesting that the underlying sentiments of instruction and building character survived.

When it says "every citizen" it is only referring to white males as slaves were not considered citizens and women were not allowed to attend the university, nor were they even mentioned anywhere in the document. So by saying every citizen it sounds like a wide range of people, but it is very limited to white males.

An emphasis on physical fitness is not a part of the University's mission today, as college students work out on their own schedule. It seems that the concept of exercise was introduced for two reasons: 1) to ensure fitness for potential military endeavors, as the men would be potentially eligible for a draft, and 2) a connection is made between physical fitness and the agility of the brain. Fear of maintaining masculinity also plays a role in this inclusion, for exercise is referred to as "the practices of manhood". The preparation for these men to become strong, head of the household protectors seemed something important enough for the University to wish to include in the curriculum.

This part of the passage suggests that at the time, the University was still determining a way to govern the students and had not officially accepted the concept of self-governance. However, the underlying argument for this decision is discussed here. While many other schools at the time tried to force students to behave through strict rules and punishment, the University wanted to take a different approach to help students prosper. Although the passage does not refer to self-governance, it does call for more freedom and encourages students to take the responsibility to improve themselves through experiencing an intelligent, supportive, and moral community.

Jean Jaques Rousseau, one of the more popular philosophers at the time, had argued in his first major essay that knowledge of the arts and sciences did not improve the virtues of mankind. Here, it seems that the writers of this document have acknowledged this idea, but have instead taken the position that knowledge is a fundamental driver of progress.

It is interesting to see this justification for offering Spanish--a way to open a dialogue with natives--in contrast with how most natives were actually treated.

It makes sense that the founders would want to promote the participation of students in military activities since the country was so little and new at the time. They glorify it as "an emulation of the practices of manhood" in order to attract young men and support the expansion of the military. They had just gone through their first war, and probably felt weak and vulnerable, so it makes sense that they would prioritize such activities in "hours of recreation" aka times when they're not learning or studying.

At this point, the standard of the university eduction had to be set. They had to determine what they would expect students to know coming in, and what they wanted the students to leave with.

To the white upper class, education is a form of empowerment which allows them to apply skills to contribute to society. However, education for slaves was a form of empowerment to break free of their chains. In this sentence we can truly see the contradicting viewpoints of not only the time period but also the values UVA was founded upon.

I am confused why it put Law Municipal exclusively under IX, instead of VIII. I cannot find anything about "Law Municipal". I believe the modern version will be Municipal Law. According to USlegal, the legal definition of "Municipal Law refers to the internal law of a sovereign state". I think it belongs to "Government".

This excerpt demonstrates the notion that the white man believed a furthering of academic education separated himself from the barbaric American Indian, and further, the inferior African American. The white man philosophy of this time emphasized that education and modern civilization was the only morally and socially correct way to approach life and engage with others. The white man condemned the "degenerate" civilization of the American Indian, and separated their white culture from the Indian culture because of this. Instead of recognizing and accepting another's culture, like the America Indians, the white man sought to label their culture as "barbaric," "wretched," and lacking in civilization. This influenced the white man's assertion of Manifest Destiny, which lasted from 1812 to 1860, where the white man spread west into the United States, usurping most of the American Indian's land. The white culture believed they had a God given right to take any land they pleased in the New World, and the justification relied on the idea that the American Indian was not educated and utilized a degenerate civilization, thus did not have valid enough or deserving ties to their land. This ideology of superiority in the white race transcends throughout the decades in most of all American history.

Even in this time period, Spanish was considered an interesting language to learn. It was relevant to learn due to the "inhabitants of our Continents" (which would be the Spaniards who were still occupying land in the Americas) They knew before, as we know now, that Spanish was a popular spoken language.

This quote signifies the shift from the previous tyrannical, monarchy-based governments in Europe to the newly reformed Democratic way of life in the United States. Here, one can notice the similarity between this quote and the foundation of Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence. Similar to the to the line in Danielle Allen's "Our Declaration" that states "solidarity cannot be built without principle," the democratic way of governance at the University of Virginia was now given a bedrock in which every member of the institution could obey and believe in wholeheartedly.

Initially, I was not sure if this document meant THE Constitution, the governing document of the United States, because of something as small as a lack of capitalization. I believe that it is what the writers are referring to. It is interesting that the writers decided to make reference to the Constitution, and let it influence the formation of their document and the potential of their University. It was a rarity in this time to forego religion as a driving force for a new endeavor, as people were often looking for something to help create a strong foundation. I praise the minds behind the Rockfish Gap Report for separating the church and education.

It is noteworthy that the authors of the report choose to place these matters of religion under the jurisdiction of the department of ethics. It sets up an interesting relationship between religion and ethics. The document suggests that it is more responsible to think in terms of ethics than in terms of religion. This reminds me of Jefferson's personal Bible, in which he omitted anything miraculous or scientifically problematic. I think we see strong traces of his influence in this paragraph.

While the University decides to form a secular institution, it upholds religious values through shifting the power to teach moral lessons from the hands of God to those of the professors. This is significant because it demonstrates that the school does not want to be seen as a bad influence on students because it does not have an affiliated religion. Rather, this freedom of belief allows professors of potentially different religions to instill the shared importance of morality to the students. This argument is persuasive but I am not sure if it would have been strong enough to convince many religious parents to send their children to school at the University.

It is interesting that it said they met "as by law required at the tavern in Rockfish gap on the blue ridge". Why was there a requirement for where they met in order to make this document? It also is strange that they met in a tavern. Maybe it is just strange to me because of my definition of a tavern. I guess it makes sense to have a meeting place to create the University, but for it to be by law seems strange.

It is important to keep in mind that this university was built when the nation was still very young. This was the time when it was just starting to form political ties with other nations, so it makes sense that there is an emphasis on the teaching of modern languages. The founders of the university wanted to build global leaders since the generation of these first students would have such an important role in the initial bonds formed between the US and other countries. They would need to be able to communicate well within the country as well as within the international community.