Difference between revisions of "Princeton University"
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Princeton's original building, Nassau Hall, was the first important college building in the Middle Atlantic colonies. Construction began in 1754 and it was first used in 1756.<ref name=nps>[http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/colonials-patriots/sitec24.htm Nassau Hall], National Park Service</ref> It was named in honor of King William III,<ref name=princetoniana>[http://tigernet.princeton.edu/~ptoniana/nassauhall.asp Nassua Hall], Princeton alumni association website</ref>, King of England from 1689 to 1702, and a Dutch-born member of the house of Orange-Nassau. It was pressed into service in the American Revolution, changed hands several times during the [[Battle of Princeton]], and briefly served as the capital of the United States in 1783<ref name=princetoniana/>. The building, and by extension Princeton itself, are affectionately referred to by Princeton alums as "Old Nassau." ''Old Nassau'' is also the title of Princeton's alma mater, written in 1859<ref>[http://tigernet.princeton.edu/~ptoniana/oldnassau2.asp Old Nassau], history and words, Princeton alumni association website.</ref> | Princeton's original building, Nassau Hall, was the first important college building in the Middle Atlantic colonies. Construction began in 1754 and it was first used in 1756.<ref name=nps>[http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/colonials-patriots/sitec24.htm Nassau Hall], National Park Service</ref> It was named in honor of King William III,<ref name=princetoniana>[http://tigernet.princeton.edu/~ptoniana/nassauhall.asp Nassua Hall], Princeton alumni association website</ref>, King of England from 1689 to 1702, and a Dutch-born member of the house of Orange-Nassau. It was pressed into service in the American Revolution, changed hands several times during the [[Battle of Princeton]], and briefly served as the capital of the United States in 1783<ref name=princetoniana/>. The building, and by extension Princeton itself, are affectionately referred to by Princeton alums as "Old Nassau." ''Old Nassau'' is also the title of Princeton's alma mater, written in 1859<ref>[http://tigernet.princeton.edu/~ptoniana/oldnassau2.asp Old Nassau], history and words, Princeton alumni association website.</ref> | ||
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| + | Princeton is famous for its Institute for Advanced Study, a center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry in history, mathematics, natural science, and social science. It was founded in 1930. The Institute's web page mentions, as particularly notable faculty, "[[Albert Einstein]], who remained at the Institute until his death in 1955, and distinguished scientists and scholars such as [[Kurt Gödel]], [[J. Robert Oppenheimer]], Erwin Panofsky, Homer A. Thompson, [[John von Neumann]], George Kennan and [[Hermann Weyl]]."<ref>[http://www.ias.edu/about/mission-and-history/ Institute for Advanced Study: Mission and History]</ref> | ||
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| + | The "Princeton machine," the pioneering computer developed by Von Neumann and completed in 1952, was important in the history of computing, and transformed "computers" from specialized numerical calculators like ENIAC into the general-purpose stored-program device we know today. | ||
In the 1900s, prior to the rise of professional football, college football received national attention and Princeton was an important team, with Princeton and Penn being traditional rivals. | In the 1900s, prior to the rise of professional football, college football received national attention and Princeton was an important team, with Princeton and Penn being traditional rivals. | ||
Revision as of 13:30, April 7, 2007
Princeton University is an old[1] and famous university in Princeton, New Jersey, founded in 1746 as the "College of New Jersey." It is one of the nine Colonial Colleges (founded before 1776) and one of eight members of the Ivy League. It is outstanding both as an undergraduate college and as a research university.
Princeton's original building, Nassau Hall, was the first important college building in the Middle Atlantic colonies. Construction began in 1754 and it was first used in 1756.[2] It was named in honor of King William III,[3], King of England from 1689 to 1702, and a Dutch-born member of the house of Orange-Nassau. It was pressed into service in the American Revolution, changed hands several times during the Battle of Princeton, and briefly served as the capital of the United States in 1783[3]. The building, and by extension Princeton itself, are affectionately referred to by Princeton alums as "Old Nassau." Old Nassau is also the title of Princeton's alma mater, written in 1859[4]
Princeton is famous for its Institute for Advanced Study, a center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry in history, mathematics, natural science, and social science. It was founded in 1930. The Institute's web page mentions, as particularly notable faculty, "Albert Einstein, who remained at the Institute until his death in 1955, and distinguished scientists and scholars such as Kurt Gödel, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Erwin Panofsky, Homer A. Thompson, John von Neumann, George Kennan and Hermann Weyl."[5]
The "Princeton machine," the pioneering computer developed by Von Neumann and completed in 1952, was important in the history of computing, and transformed "computers" from specialized numerical calculators like ENIAC into the general-purpose stored-program device we know today.
In the 1900s, prior to the rise of professional football, college football received national attention and Princeton was an important team, with Princeton and Penn being traditional rivals.
It was founded as a Presbyterian institution, and in 1962 became the last of the Ivy League colleges to abolish "compulsory chapel" (required attendence at religious services.)[6]
Notes and references
- ↑ Princeton considers itself to be the fourth oldest university in British North America.[1] Princeton, Penn, Brown, Columbia, Rutgers, and Dartmouth are all roughly the same age, originating within about a two-decade period from 1750 to 1770. Because institutional age is a point of pride, and because there is no firm definition of what constitutes "founding," colleges have a tendency to interpret history in such a way as to yield the earliest possible founding date. Until 1895, Princeton would generally have been considered the fourth oldest, Penn then stating its founding date as 1749, but in 1895 Penn alumni found an interpretation for a founding year of 1740, the date Penn now uses. Thus, Princeton and Penn both claim to be the fourth oldest.
- ↑ Nassau Hall, National Park Service
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Nassua Hall, Princeton alumni association website
- ↑ Old Nassau, history and words, Princeton alumni association website.
- ↑ Institute for Advanced Study: Mission and History
- ↑ The University Chapel, Princeton website
