As the nation is set to celebrate Independence Day, Secretary of State Jon Husted today launched www.OhioFoundingFathers.com and www.OhioHistoricalDocs.com as part of new civic engagement effort focused on providing Ohioans with easy access to important historical information about our state and its founding principles. The announcement is part of a continuing effort by Ohio’s leaders to ensure all students around the state learn about the individuals and documents that shaped our state and nation.
“It is imperative that we as Ohioans celebrate and learn from our rich heritage as we look forward to a bright future,” Secretary Husted said. “Not only will this initiative serve as an educational tool for all, but it will also save taxpayer dollars by reducing printing costs and making historical records more widely available online.”
In 2011, Ohio lawmakers passed Senate Bill 165, which requires state educators to incorporate as part of their coursework content related American and Ohio history and government. The new law ensures students will learn about key historical documents, including the Declaration of Independence, Northwest Ordinance, U.S. Constitution, with emphasis on the Bill of Rights, and Ohio Constitution.
Visitors to OhioFoundingFathers.com and OhioHistoricalDocs.com will be able to more easily access historical information maintained by the Ohio Secretary of State, including elections statistics, past and current laws of Ohio, the Ohio Constitution and historical rosters of federal, state and local elected officials. Additionally, the sites work together to honor and educate visitors about the founders who helped shape our state and nation, as well as the diverse collection of people, places and events that make our state so unique.
While there is something for Ohioans of all ages, one of the Secretary’s primary goals was to make learning about Ohio’s history fun, particularly for young people. Visitors to the sites will be able to test their Ohio knowledge by taking the “Do You Know Ohio” quiz and sharing their scores with their friends on Facebook and Twitter.
“This is the kind of history lesson we hope kids will be receptive to, even during their hard-earned summer breaks,” Secretary Husted said.
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