Chi Phi founded at Princeton

Background. Princeton University, originally the College of New Jersey, is located in Princeton, New Jersey. In 1824, the institution was led by President James Carnahan. The 1824 Chi Phi Society was an association formed to promote correct opinions on religion, morals, and education, explicitly excluding sectarian theology and party politics. This organization is distinct from the modern social fraternity, which was officially formed in 1854.

Legacy and Dispute. Modern Chi Phi members emphasize the 1824 date due to aspects carried over from original records discovered in 1854. However, the names of the 1824 founders were unknown to the 1854 founders. The claim that Chi Phi is the first American fraternity is contested; Phi Beta Kappa (1776) and Kappa Alpha Society (1825) are cited as earlier organizations with specific characteristics.

Rediscovery. The old Chi Phi constitution was discovered in 1854 by undergraduates, including John Maclean Jr. These students emphasized the social aspects and disregarded the religious purpose, reorganizing the society into the modern Greek letter fraternity. The original society's religious feature was previously absorbed by the Philadelphian Society in 1825.