Argued March 10–12, 1818, and decided on February 25, 1819, the case of Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Woodward was brought about when a leadership vacancy within the trustees and president of the private Dartmouth College allowed the Legislature of New Hampshire to attempt to convert the college to a public university. The legislature argued that the charter of the school, granted by King George III in 1769, was not a legally binding document after the American Revolution severed the political relations between the government and its citizens. The legislature passed an amendment to the charter that transferred control of the school to officials appointed by the governor. The original trustees filed suit, arguing that the transfer violated the corporate rights, the state constitution, and the U.S. Constitution.