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 Amidst the heated Washington debates over national security, federal spending, health care and more, it’s important to take a step back and consider the principles involved. What course would the Founders of our nation navigate for America’s future? How would Thomas Jefferson combat international terrorism? What answers would George Washington give when confronted with failing big-government programs?
As a Heritage Foundation intern this summer, I had the opportunity to discover the answers to these important questions.
Interns attended a series of lunch-hour lectures known as “First Principles Lunches.” Hosted by Matthew Spalding of Heritage’s Center for America’s Studies, these weekly discussions gave me an insight into the principles and values of the Founding Fathers. I became acquainted with not only the roots of democracy but also with the traditions from which modern conservatism was born.
Drawing on the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and other documents, Spalding provided interns with a clear context for understanding the Founders, their minds, their intentions and their hopes for the future of the American republic. Guest speakers, including Heritage scholar Lee Edwards and Bill Beach of Heritage’s Center for Data Analysis, invited us to consider the practical applications of the Founders’ wisdom. They taught us that as we seek to protect America and uphold the Constitution, we must do so with an eye single to the vision of Madison, Adams, Jefferson, Washington and the others who played such a vital role in shaping our nation.
These lunchtime discussions allowed me to realize that an in-depth understanding of the Constitution is essential. Indeed, they sparked a realization among all the interns that as we fight for conservative ideas, we must understand the principles that allowed the American republic to emerge. The lectures gave us a fuller understanding of how the Founding Fathers drafted the Constitution to ensure that the America they fought for would continue.
Thanks in no small measure to these important lectures, my internship has shaped my beliefs. I recognize that if we are to preserve the American republic, we must uphold the intentions of the Founding Fathers. And as we support policies that promote liberty and fight tyranny at home and abroad, we can turn to the Founders time and again for inspiration.
DeEtte Chatterton is an intern at The Heritage Foundation. | 
