American Whig–Cliosophic Society
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The American Whig–Cliosophic Society, sometimes abbreviated as Whig-Clio, is a political, literary, and debating society at Princeton University and the oldest debate union in the United States.<ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref> Its precursors, the American Whig Society and the Cliosophic Society, were founded at Princeton in 1769 and 1765.
The Society frequently hosts events open to all Princeton students, as well as to faculty and community members. These include the Society's monthly Senate Debates on topics related to national or campus policy, lectures, discussion dinners with guest speakers, and social events. The Society also oversees four subsidiary groups: the International Relations Council (IRC), Princeton's Model Congress (PMC), Princeton Debate Panel (PDP), and Princeton Mock Trial (PMT).
The two original societies continue as "houses" within the larger American Whig–Cliosophic Society, with Whig considered the more liberal house and Clio the more conservative.<ref name="slavery">Template:Cite web</ref>
History
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Origins and early years
The American Whig–Cliosophic Society has its ancestry in the literary institutions of the Plain-Dealing Club (Whig) and the Well-Meaning Club (Clio), both formed around 1765.Template:Sfn An intense rivalry between these clubs led to their suppression by the university in 1769.Template:Sfn Persuasion from William Paterson and other alumni led to president John Witherspoon to permit successor organizations.Template:Sfn Shortly thereafter, the American Whig Society formed on June 24, 1769 by several students including Philip M. Freneau, and Hugh Henry Brackenridge; when James Madison enrolled at the college the following month, he became a member. The Cliosophic Society formed on June 8, 1770 by Nathan Perkins, Robert Stewart, John Smith, and Issac Smith.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Efn
Whig derived its name from the "American Whig" essays by William Livingston, a trustee of the college, while Clio derived its name from Paterson's "Cliosophic Address" at a recent commencement; the name was a translation of the Greek for "praise of wisdom" (there was no association with Clio, the muse of history).Template:Sfn Both societies were assigned rooms in Nassau Hall.Template:Sfn
The societies in their early years served as institutions for members to practice oratory skills, engage in discussions about contemporary issues, and engage in literary activities. Before the American Revolution, they provided future leaders like James Madison, Aaron Burr, and others a place to develop these skills.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn However, much of the history of the society's other activities during this time were lost in a fire in 1802; the only documents remaining from this period relate to the recurring "Paper Wars," where members of each society would deride each other through verse.Template:Sfn The societies became dormant during the Revolution, with Clio resuming in 1781 and Whig in 1782.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn From this point until around the 1880s when the societies had their greatest influence on Princeton campus life.Template:Sfn
To one historian, the societies "functioned as colleges within the College of New Jersey," with each respective society having its officers, traditions, curriculum, bylaws, libraries, and diplomas.Template:Sfn Talented members were given exclusive opportunities to deliver special addresses and speak in debates. Meetings were held to allow members to practice ahead of these events.Template:Sfn Admittance was selective, focusing on academically accomplished students,Template:Sfn and much of the societies' efforts were focused on glory and high achievement over the rest of the student body.Template:Sfn The societies served the additional purpose of providing social opportunities to students who were under a rigorous and tightly controlled schedule.Template:Sfn
19th and 20th centuries
The societies moved to the university's new library building, Stanhope Hall, in 1805.Template:Sfn
In the decades before the Civil War, the societies frequently debated the subject of slavery. Despite their regional differences, both societies voted regularly in support of slavery's continuation and opposition to emancipation. The subject united the two societies, which otherwise often disagreed.<ref name="slavery" /> Clio's members were usually northerners, while Whigs typically came from the southern states.<ref name="slavery" />
Competition from eating clubs, sports teams, and other student activities eventually drew members away from the societies. Prompted by declining memberships, the societies were merged to form the American Whig–Cliosophic Society in 1928.
The Society's first female president was Tina Ravitz in 1975.Template:Sfn
Contemporary times
The organization's modern role is to serve as an umbrella organization for political and debating activity at Princeton, as well as host speakers, dinners, lectures, and social events.
In 2024, the society voted to adopt a policy of institutional neutrality based on the University of Chicago's Kalven Report and banned considering a speaker's political, ideological, and religious beliefs when inviting them.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The society held a candidate forum for the 2024 Democratic primary in New Jersey's 3rd congressional district, the first event of its kind in the society's history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Symbols
Originally, the Whig and Cliosophic debating societies' unofficial colors were red and blue.<ref name=":9">Template:Cite web</ref> However, its colors changed after the Civil War when Princeton University adopted orange and black as its colors.<ref name=":9" />
Subsidiaries
Princeton Debate Panel
The Princeton Debate Panel (PDP) is a collegiate debating society that competes in sanctioned debates by the American Parliamentary Debate Association (APDA) league, of which it was a founding member.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> In the APDA, PDP has won the Team of the Year award a record eight times and the Speaker of the Year Award a record nine times.<ref name=":1" /> PDP hosts a high school and a collegiate tournament during the academic year.<ref name=":1" />
Princeton Mock Trial
Princeton Mock Trial (PMT) is a mock trial program that competes with three teams.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref> In the American Mock Trial Association, it ranked 67th in the 2023–2024 season,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 124th in the 2022–2023 season,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 175th in the 2021–2022 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It ranked 2nd in the American Mock Trial Association National Championship in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It annually hosts two Moot Court tournaments for local high schools.<ref name=":2" />
International Relations Council
The International Relations Council (IRC) is a forum for international issues on campus.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref> It houses the Princeton Model United Nations program, which hosts a high school conference, Princeton Model United Nationals Conference and a collegiate conference, Princeton Diplomatic Invitational.<ref name=":3" /> The program also features the Princeton Model UN Travel Team, which competes on the regional and international collegiate circuits.<ref name=":3" />
Model Congress
Princeton Model Congress (PMC) hosts an annual model congress conference in Washington D.C. for high schoolers.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref> The conference simulates all three branches of federal government and draws approximately 1,200 participants.<ref name=":4" />
Honorary Debate Panel
The Honorary Debate Panel (WCHDP) sponsors and promotes prize debates at Princeton University.<ref name=":5">Template:Cite web</ref> Annually-held debates and oratory contests include the Lynde Prize Debate, the Class of 1876 Memorial Prize for Debate in Politics, the Maclean Prize and Junior Orator Awards, the Walter E. Hope Prizes in Speaking and Debating, the Spencer Trask Medals for Debating, and the William Rusher ’44 Prize in Debating.<ref name=":5" />
Membership
To become a member, Princeton students are required to attend and sign in at three Whig-Clio events.<ref name=":8">Template:Cite web</ref> Members of Whig-Clio subsidiaries are automatically considered members in the American Whig–Cliosophic Society.<ref name=":8" />
Awards
The James Madison Award for Distinguished Public Service is a longstanding tradition and the highest distinction bestowed by the Whig-Cliosophic Society to individuals committed to the "betterment of society" who have confronted "some of society’s biggest challenges". The first woman recipient was Golda Meir in December 1974.Template:Sfn The full list of recipients is below.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In March 2021, the Society voted to revoke Senator Ted Cruz's award after he attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election based on false claims of voter fraud.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Society reversed course a month later and decided not to revoke the award.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Governing council
The Governing Council is the primary decision-making body of the Society when the Assembly, the body that includes all undergraduate members in good standing, is not in session. It consists of the executive officers, non-executive officers, and subsidiary heads. The executive officers, who include the President, Vice President, Secretary, President of the Senate, Director of Program, Speaker of the Whig Party, and Chair of the Cliosophic Party, are elected by the members of the Society to one-year terms and each have one vote on the Council.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> The Council is responsible for confirming events, appointing non-executive officers, and making other important decisions for the Society. A quorum for binding decisions is at least half of the voting members, and votes are typically conducted by secret ballot. The Council's decisions can be overturned by the Assembly or deemed unconstitutional by the Constitutional Compliance Committee.<ref name=":0" /> The current Governing Council is led by President Samuel Kligman.
Notable members
The Society has had many notable members throughout its history. In politics and government, members have included U.S. Presidents James Madison<ref name=":7">Template:Cite web</ref> and Woodrow Wilson;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Vice Presidents Aaron Burr<ref name=":7" /> and George M. Dallas;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito,<ref name=":7" /> Oliver Ellsworth,<ref name=":7" /> and William Paterson.<ref name=":6" /> Influential scholars such as John Rawls<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Joseph Nye<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> have also been members. The society has also included renowned writers and journalists, including F. Scott Fitzgerald<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Booth Tarkington.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Other prominent members have included Adlai Stevenson II,<ref name=":7" /> Ted Cruz,<ref name=":7" /> Ralph Nader,<ref name="Bowen2002">Template:Cite book</ref> and Paul Sarbanes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Controversies
In 2018, Whig-Clio co-presidents disinvited conservative University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax after she had made controversial remarks about the quality of her Black students.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2020, a conservative member of the society stated that he had proposed inviting The Washington Post columnist George Will and federal judge Neomi Rao to speak at the society, but its governing council had voted not to.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
See also
Notes
References
Works cited
Further reading
External links
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