In April, we celebrated the 250th anniversary of the “Shot Herd Round the World”. It acts as a waking call, if an unconscious, on July 4, 2026 for the preparation of our country’s 250th birthday.
Most of us definitely understand that when it comes to celebrating this milestone, forgetting disease is not our main problem. Rather, there is a deep ambition about how to think about our country – and as our obligations we reach this historic year.
Where does this ambition come from? Historian Alan Guelzo Chalkes it “Polarization and condemn of these times” which is definitely true. Both left and right play their role as Gulezo notes in this. But the anniversary presents a special challenge to the leftists. Historians as a bevorous gauge Has notedFor the progressives, “Discovering traditional patriotism has become de Rigur: kneeling for the national anthem, dismissed the founders as an encycle, and expressed discomfort over the possibility of flying an American flag.”
Even on the left side for those who are more comfortable with the flag-ups, they prefer to think as a question about American patriotism- “What, if anything, anything, makes America great,” as Gauge put it.
This is rapidly opposite to the recent of President Trump executive Order On patriotic education. There is no ambition – patriotic education “involves the concept of America’s greatness and history is appropriate.” A question mark is thus met with an amazing point point.
And yet the US requires both approaches if we promote more unity and shared purpose among Americans in political spectrum in the coming year. The path will not be easy.
James Davisson Hunter’s recent book “Democracy and solidarity“Helps us to understand how deep our polarization is. While we were able to draw on what we call the” hybrid enlightenment of America “, which traditional Protestants provide married principles of secular knowledge with elements of Christianity, within which we can work through our political disagreement, it is the result of firmwork.
Even the founding principles of our country become controversial in this tug-off-wind. Hunter writes, “Justice, fairness, freedom, rights, equality, equity, tolerance, inclusion, hate and such concepts,” Hunter write, “herself is contested and manipulated, because they are also excluded from the context of large ideological structures or traditions, from which they attain their importance.” Our 250 -year -long interactions about divorce and its meaning from the declaration of declaration, “discovery of life, freedom, and happiness” yet becomes another tool to be used against someone’s opponents.
In such an environment, teachers feel uncomfortable teaching patriotism as one. recent survey Show. When it comes to goals and values that teachers of American history are important or very important, only 50 percent includes “creating civil pride in the nation”. The rate of only 39 percent “as an extraordinary nation cultivated the United States of praise.”
The chairman of Monticello Jane Kamanceki noticed a panel at the National Summit of Jack Miller Center on Civic Education last year, when she left the classroom in the classroom in the 1960s, it was that patriotic was looking very close to religion, and as the religion came out with the classroom, Patriotism. ,
The perception of civil religion and American extraordinaryness seems to be correct for patriotism. And yet many people on the left are rapidly recognizing the importance of patriotic civilian education, even if the details are different from the Trump administration guidelines. Professor gauge game is to incite progress – “Why not wear [tricorn] Fly hats and flag? ,
More briefly, a recent Report Progressive Policy Institute urges schools to teach “what to teach specific and extraordinary about the US” and support community service programs that can “create a sense of purpose and patriotism to young people.” Educated for American democracy The project, which is the cross-partison, but on the left, says, “A healthy constitutional democracy always demands reflective patriotism.”
There is a desire, so what is the way? What can the left and right -to -right American do for the upcoming anniversary? They can turn to the announcement of the announcement.
As Daniel Alan wrote, “There are no silver pills for citizenship problems in our political life. There is no panacea for educational improvement. But if I either pretend to offer, it would be: all adults should read the declaration closely; all students should read the declaration from the beginning before leaving the high school.”
Or as a political scientist Steven Smith at the University of Yale, it says: “In our current environment, as usual, the best teachers are old books. Patriotism can only be taught through a long and deep engagement with the founding texts of our political tradition.”
As we prepare to celebrate America for 250 years next year, let’s follow their advice. Let them goWords that changed the worldChange us Let us read them slowly and carefully, discuss them with others, seek guidance from those who know and reflect on words, see our reflection in our fellow Americans.
Thomas Kelly is the vice president of academic programs Jack Miller Center for Teaching America’s founding principles and history,
