College of William and Mary

The College of William and Mary in Virginia is a public, liberal-arts university located in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 and named in honor of King William III and Queen Mary II, it is the second-oldest university in the United States (Harvard, founded in 1638, is the oldest). At the request of the House of Burgesses and the Reverend Dr. James Blair, the commissary (or representative) of the Church of England in Virginia, it was founded in the Virginia Colony in 1693 by royal charter issued by the monarchs of England.

Societies

The Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society was founded at the College of William and Mary on December 5, 1776. It began as a secret literary and philosphical society at the College; additional chapters were soon established at Harvard, Yale and other schools. http://www.pbk.org/about.htm John Marshall and Bushrod Washington were two of the earliest members of Phi Beta Kappa, elected in 1778 and 1780, respectively. The Bishop James Madison Society, a secret society that remains active today, was also founded there. A number of other secret societies exist at the school, including the Flat Hat Club (Thomas Jefferson was a member of FHC), the Alpha Club, the Seven Society, the 13 Club, and the Brafferton Society.

Related Topics:
Phi Beta Kappa - 1776 - Bishop James Madison Society - Secret society - Flat Hat Club - Seven Society

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