Three Hundred and Fifty Years Later, Still the Most Important Document in Connecticut. Join us May 23rd at Noon

 

Three Hundred and Fifty Years Later,
Still the Most Important Document in Connecticut

May 23^rd, Noon at Connecticut’s Old State House

We've all heard the story of the Charter Oak but why exactly was the Royal Charter of 1662 so important? To commemorate its 350^th anniversary, join a spirited discussion about the document that is called by some “the most important in Connecticut’s history.” Learn about its origin, impact, and continuing significance on the Constitution State and nation on Wednesday, May 23^rd at noon at Connecticut's Old State House. 

During the early years of our colonies, Connecticut possessed a great deal of autonomy from the British crown, perhaps more so than any other American colony, due to the Royal Charter of 1662.  Even after the American Revolution, Connecticut continued to use the Charter, although with references to the king removed, as the state’s governing document until 1818. The program begins with State Historian and University of Connecticut Professor Dr. Walter Woodward as he discusses the Charter’s creation, its significance in state history, and the reasons for its continuing resonance in the present.

Following Dr. Woodward's brief talk, the Connecticut Network’s Diane Smith will moderate a lively discussion about the Charter's continuing influence on our state’s legal and political affairs. The discussion will touch on the Charter’s influence on the State Constitutions of 1818 and 1965, along with current constitutional issues, such as the move to remove absentee ballot restrictions from the current state constitution.

Along with Dr. Woodward, the panel includes: attorney Wesley Horton, the lawyer who successfully argued the Sheff vs. O'Neill before the Connecticut Supreme Court; and former Congressman and University of New Haven President Emeritus, Larry DeNardis, the youngest delegate at the 1965 Constitutional Convention. 

Bring your lunch and enjoy this FREE, one hour program!

 

Up Next at the Old State House: On June 12 at Noon, join Diane Smith for an intimate, one-on-one conversation with former Connecticut Governor Lowell Weicker.

Connecticut’s Old State House will validate parking tickets from the State Street South Parking Garage (formerly the Constitution Plaza garage). The cost, after validating, is $5.  The ticket will be stamped once admission is paid at the museum.  The validation is good all day.

Throughout 2012, the Old State House will have a variety of lunchtime lectures and other special events and programming. Visit the calendar on www.ctoldstatehouse.org for more information.

Located in Hartford just minutes from the Connecticut Science Center, Wadsworth Athenaeum and the riverfront, Connecticut’s Old State House invites visitors of all ages to discover that their voices matter, and that words, ideas, persuasion and debate really can change minds – and, quite possibly, the world.  The building served as the Constitution State’s original seat of government from 1796 to 1878. For more information on admission prices, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CTOldStateHouse or visit us online at www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

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