Descendants of Puritans, the founders of the Connecticut Western Reserve believed in a classless society. They envisioned a culture in which the word "slave" was meaningless. Their goal was to produce leaders to champion these principles and spread them across the American continent—people like themselves who would stand at the center of educational institutions, cultural centers, political structures and charitable organizations. They laid the foundations of the communities to come that would reflect an idealized vision of human character in their sense of community, their emphasis on faith that was tolerant of the beliefs of others and their appreciation of the importance of equal access to public education and democratic government. Meet the nation builders.