What do an English historian, an Italian wine merchant, an anti-slavery advocate, and the Father of the Constitution have in common? Each of these individuals—Catherine Sawbridge Macaulay Graham, Philip Mazzei, Francis Asbury, and James Madison—paid one or more visits during the years 1783–1789 to the retired leader of the American Revolutionary forces, George Washington, at his Virginia waterfront plantation, Mount Vernon. Perhaps these guests marveled at the brilliant colors of the mansion's main dining room. They might have strolled around the grounds and seen the slaves performing the multitude of tasks necessary to make the plantation flourish. It's likely that the visitors sat on the east-facing piazza and watched the ships sail up and down the Potomac River. Finally, and most significantly, these visitors—and others like them—participated in dialogues and discussions at Mount Vernon which resulted in the creation of the American constitutional system. The Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshop, "Shaping the Constitution: A View from Mount Vernon 1783–89," funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities We the People initiative, is an opportunity for educators (and ultimately their students) to gain a better understanding of Mount Vernon as a crossroads for the discussion of ideas that led to the Constitution. In brief, the workshop offers academic content about Mount Vernon, George Washington, and the Constitution; the opportunity to engage in scholarly discourse with leading academics; a stipend to help cover housing and meal costs; a transportation allowance; networking with other social studies teachers from around the nation; and ongoing professional development opportunities and the opportunity to earn graduate credit.

This annual residential seminar takes on a different theme each year. The chosen theme will complement the basic concept of the symposium, which is to learn about the cultural landscapes of the Northern Neck. The symposium will feature lectures, site visits, and tours.

"Learn about material culture, see 18th century objects rarely seen by the public, tour the Todd and Bishop White houses, and talk with a curator and museum educator! Teachers from Pennsylvania and New Jersey will earn 3.5 professional development credit hours while taking a behind-the-scenes look at Independence National Historical Park. Educators will learn about teaching with primary source documents and objects, discover how curators use these clues to piece together history, and have the opportunity to explore Independence Park Institute’s newly opened hands-on student learning labs."

This institute will "explore topics in American music from two distinct yet complementary angles. First, analysis of popular songs as primary source documents offers fresh material to enrich the understanding of social studies and language arts. Second, field trips and authentic performances offer a uniquely engaging evocation of an historical context. Aided by historians, musicologists, and teaching performers, participants strengthen their skills as historians and develop innovative strategies to integrate music into their teaching." Week by week, themes will include "Moving Along," "Work," War and Peace," "United/Divided," and "Home."

This workshop will explore the history of Mount Vernon, the development of the Constitution, and the life of George Washington, looking particularly at how Mount Vernon served as a center for discussion of the issues and ideas that would lead to creation of the Constitution. Lectures, discussions, Powerpoint presentations, readings, tours of Mount Vernon and other sites, pedagogical sessions, and curriculum development will be included in the workshop.

This workshop will explore the history of Mount Vernon, the development of the Constitution, and the life of George Washington, looking particularly at how Mount Vernon served as a center for discussion of the issues and ideas that would lead to creation of the Constitution. Lectures, discussions, Powerpoint presentations, readings, tours of Mount Vernon and other sites, pedagogical sessions, and curriculum development will be included in the workshop.