PHILADELPHIA, PA (October 29, 2025) – The National Constitution Center, in partnership with Arizona State University, today announced the forthcoming launch of a groundbreaking new online course: What the Founders Meant by “Happiness”: A Journey Through Virtue and Character. Set to debut in early 2026, the free, non-credit course guides learners through the philosophical foundations of the American experiment, drawing on classical ideas of virtue, character, and happiness that shaped the nation’s founding and continue to inform civic life today.
“This course reflects our shared belief that civic education must be rooted not just in constitutional knowledge but also in civic character,” said National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen. “By examining how the founders understood happiness as a lifelong pursuit of virtue, we hope to inspire learners to engage more deeply with American ideals—and with one another.” Echoing this sentiment, ASU President Michael M. Crow added, “As a national service university, we recognize our responsibility to provide quality learning opportunities that expand civic knowledge and support the pillars that advance our democracy. We are excited to contribute to the creation of fresh, relevant and accessible civic education options that enhance understanding of our nation’s founding concepts and the uniquely human components that underpin its success.”
The course builds on Rosen’s 2024 book, The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America, and is designed to bring the ideas of America’s founders to life through engaging video lectures, primary sources, and interactive materials, connects personal character to constitutional democracy. Each module explores a classical virtue—such as humility, resolution, temperance, or justice—through the lives of figures like George Washington, Phillis Wheatley, Abigail and John Adams, Frederick Douglass, and Abraham Lincoln.
Developed in collaboration with ASU’s Principled Innovation Initiative, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the EdPlus team, the course will be hosted on the ASU platform and accessible via the National Constitution Center’s website. It is designed to be fully open and self-paced, with no registration required, and will feature an optional certificate of completion for learners—including educators seeking professional learning credentials.
The announcement follows the release of Rosen’s Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness podcast series, produced and distributed by PRX. The podcast features conversations with leading historians and thinkers, including Ken Burns, David Blight, Stacy Schiff, and Colleen Sheehan, and will serve as a companion to the course.
The course is a key part of the National Constitution Center’s broader initiative to mark America’s 250th anniversary by expanding access to transformative civic education. The project has been made possible with support from the Kern Family Foundation and reflects the Center’s commitment to lifelong learning across generations.
Those interested in learning more about the course can sign up here as additional information becomes available.
About ASU
Arizona State University, ranked the No. 1 “Most Innovative School” in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for 10 years in succession, has forged the model for a New American University by operating on the principles that learning is a personal and original journey for each student; that they thrive on experience and that the process of discovery cannot be bound by traditional academic disciplines. Through innovation and a commitment to accessibility, ASU has drawn pioneering researchers to its faculty even as it expands opportunities for qualified students. asu.edu/about
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About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, the Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its congressional charter “to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis.” As the Museum of We the People, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America’s Town Hall, the Center brings the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a Headquarters for Civic Education, the Center delivers the best educational programs and online resources that inspire citizens and engage all Americans in learning about the U.S. Constitution. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.
