explanation of images

constitution day 2012 | 1

4 Foreword

7 America’s national AmnesiaA review of various national studies on the State of the Union

8 losing America’s memory:Historical illiteracy in the 21st centuryA Report by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (2000)Anne D. Neal and Jerry L. Martin

10 e Pluribus UnumThe Bradley Project on America’s National Identity (2008)

12 The American revolution: Who cares?Americans are yearning to learn, failing to know.The American Revolution Center (2009)

14 The latest results on Student learning in civics and United States HistoryNational Assessment of Educational Progress (2010)

16 A glance at Other reports and Findings (1983-2012)

20 losing America’s memory: an updateAnne D. Neal, President - American Council of Trustees and Alumni

24 Presidential Perspectives on America’s legacy of libertyIn the words of four U. S. Presidents

32 reclaiming American memory and identityTom Walker, Founder and CEO - American Village Citizenship Trust

cOnSTiTUTiOn DAY 2012 | 3

AmericAn VillAge

LIBERTYJOURNAL

_____________________________________________________

The Journal of the American Village Citizenship Trust_____________________________________________________

c O n S T i T U T i O n D AY 2 0 1 2

When the framers of the constitution adjourned the convention and left the Pennsylvaniastatehouse on september 17, 1787, they had no assurance their work would succeed.

81-year-old benjamin Franklin said as much when a woman, believed to be eliza Powel,the wife of the mayor of Philadelphia, asked Franklin what form of government had beendevised. His reply was simple, yet profoundly challenging; it is, he answered, “...arepublic, if you can keep it.”

the framers had done their work. now their work was in the hands of the american people.through their state conventions the people would choose whether to ratify the constitution,and if ratified, then the ongoing fate of this work would be vested in the hands of thepeople.

by June 1788 the constitution had been ratified by nine states and went into effect. georgeWashington was unanimously elected as our first President and took the oath of office onapril 30, 1789. in his short address he spoke of the uncertainties attending the launch ofthis new government. He declared the “preservation of the sacred fire of liberty” (whichwas the object of the late revolution) and the “destiny of the republican model ofgovernment” are “staked” on the “experiment in the hands of the american people.”

the american experiment has been tested throughout american history, in times of povertyand prosperity, war and peace, division and unity. it is tried and tested anew in eachgeneration. circumstances of the present time now offer new challenges that test whetherthe experiment will remain successful.

the state of the american union is the rightful object of periodic examination. there aretimes when it is especially important to ask ourselves:

Just how well are “we the people” doing in “keeping” the republic?

4 | american Village liberty Journal

F O R E W O R D_____________________________

the american Village citizenship trust believes the 225th anniversary year of theconstitution is such a time to consider such a question. on constitution day, monday,september 17, 2012, citizens and leaders begin a year of self-examination, conversation,and we hope concerted action.

the trust is grateful that its national advisor, Honorable mary a. bomar, asked formerFirst lady laura bush to serve as Honorary chair of the opening summit. in her preparedremarks mrs. bush challenged all americans to be “keepers of the republic.” shereminded us all:

The Constitution we celebrate unites us to “form a more perfect Union” and to“secure the blessings of liberty” for ourselves and our posterity. The truth is:liberty is hard work, and it’s our work right now.

this issue of the american Village liberty Journal looks at the state of the union,particularly with regard to american historical and civic literacy. such knowledge is widelyregarded as a foundational underpinning for understanding the office of citizen to whicheach american is called to serve.

specifically in the following pages we review several national studies which highlightwhat might be termed a growing national amnesia. these studies point to an erosion of ashared american national memory and identity. these reviews and summaries spotlightsome key findings by an array of thoughtful americans. While no endorsement is intendedof specific studies or findings, one cannot help but observe that taken together thesecommentaries and findings are breathtaking and alarming. they beg for attention and foraction.

as we present a number of reviews and commentaries for review and reflection,we sincerely invite you to share your own. you may do so via email [email protected].

may the 225th anniversary commemoration of the united states constitution promptamericans to take on a more active and robust engagement as “Keepers of the republic.”

Founder and ceoamerican Village citizenship trust


For a number of years the nbc television network hasbroadcast a tonight show feature called “jaywalking”in which people on the street are randomly askedquestions by talk show host Jay leno about aparticular topic. the topic is one for which the viewerwould assume there is widespread knowledge; viewersknow to expect the worse. especially when the topicsare related to american history or politics, the answersinvariably are absurdly wrong and so much so they arealso laughable.

the segment can be entertaining, even if it leaves onewanting to shake his head in disbelief. We then want tothink perhaps the interviewee was caught off-guard;perhaps the camera or mr. leno was intimidating; werationalize away these glaringly erroneous guessesabout basic facts about america.

but what is not amusing and what cannot easily beexplained are the results and commentaries found inseveral national studies conducted in the last 25 yearsassessing the state of american historical and civicliteracy. their reports are sobering harbingers orwarnings of a growing national historical and civicamnesia that erodes american national identity andpurpose.

dr. bruce cole, the former chairman of the nationalendowment for the Humanities, had this to say in anaddress:

…a nationwide survey recently commissioned byColumbia Law School found that almost two-thirdsof all Americans think Karl Marx's dogma, "Fromeach according to his ability, to each according tohis needs" was or may have been written by thefounding fathers and was included in theConstitution. Such collective amnesia isdangerous. Citizens kept ignorant of their historyare robbed of the riches of their heritage, andhandicapped in their ability to understand…

Historian david mccullough warned “…our way oflife could very well be in jeopardy…” if these dangersare unchecked.

this amnesia is manifested in two distinct areas:american history and civic knowledge. americanhistory is our national memory; neglect it and we loseour very national identity. the study of civics is thelife-knowledge needed for our uniquely americanbody politic; neglect it and we lose the heart and soulof american self-government. as the following studiesand commentaries note, we are in danger of losingboth.


america’snational amnesiaA review of various national studies on the State of the Union

in February 2000 theprestigious americancouncil of trustees andalumni (acta) issued achilling report on the stateof historical understandingby college seniors from thetop 55 liberal arts collegesand universities.

titled Losing America’sMemory: Historical Illiteracy in the 21st Century,the american council’s report so disheartened notedamerican biographer and author david mcculloughthat he wrote:

anyone who doubts that we are raising a generationof young americans who are historically illiterateneeds only to read this truly alarming report.

the center for survey research and analysis at theuniversity of connecticut surveyed college seniorsfrom the “best” 55 colleges identified in rankingscompiled by u.s. news & World report. it usedquestions drawn from a basic high schoolcurriculum, including questions that are given tohigh school students as part of the periodic nationalassessment of education Progress (naeP) tests.

the council emphasized the importance of history inconveying the fundamental ideals that undergird thenation. lynne cheney, the council’s chair, noted“Knowledge of the ideals that have mattered to usfunctions as a kind of civic glue. our history andliterature give us symbols to share; they help us all,no matter how diverse our backgrounds, feel part ofa common undertaking.” the council report viewedhistory as “a common frame of reference that hassustained our free society for so many generations.”

it is important to note the council called attention tothe special importance of institutions of highereducation:

Other than our schools, no institutions beargreater responsibility for the transmission of ourheritage than colleges and universities. Theyeducate almost two-thirds of our citizens,including all our school teachers, lawyers,doctors, journalists, and public leaders. They setthe admissions and curricular requirements thatsignal to students, teachers, parents, and thepublic what every educated citizen in ademocracy must know.

What happens in higher education thus relatesdirectly to what happens in K-12. If colleges anduniversities no longer require their students tohave a basic knowledge of American civilizationand its heritage, we are all in danger of losing acommon frame of reference that has sustainedour free society for so many generations.

the council recommended several measures, amongthem:

• colleges and universities must develop strong core curricula, which includes a “broad-based, rigorous course on american history required of all students.”

• students and their families should carefully review catalogues and select colleges and universities that offer solid academic programs, especially given the high cost of this investment.

• alumni and donors should be interested in whether their alma maters uphold the value of academic standards, including courses in history, and should consider directing their gifts to promote american history and civic understanding.


losing america’s memory: Historical illiteracy in tHe 21st centuryA Report by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (2000); Anne D. Neal and Jerry L. Martin


KEY F IND INGS :• 81% of seniors in America’s “top 55

colleges and universities” received a “D” or “F” on this high school history test

• Only 22% could identify the famous phrase “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” as a line from the Gettysburg Address

• Over a third could not identify the Constitution as establishing the division of power in American government

• Less than 25% could match James Madison as “father of the Constitution” and only 34% knew George Washington was an American general at the battle of Yorktown, the pivotal battle of the American Revolution; while 98% correctly identified Snoop Doggy Dog as a rap singer, and 99% knew Beavis and Butthead were fictional television characters

• Students can now graduate from 100% of the top 55 colleges without taking a single course in American history

• At 78% of these institutions, students are not required to take any history at all

___________________________________________

…a shared understanding, a shared knowledge, of the nation’s past unifies a people and ensures a commoncivic identity. Embarking on the experiment of a democratic republic, the Founders viewed public educationas central to the ability to sustain a participatory form of government. --- As we move forward into the 21stcentury, our future leaders are graduating with an alarming ignorance of their history … and a profoundhistorical illiteracy bodes ill for the future of the republic.

MADISONWASHINGTON

SNOOP DOGGY DOG

BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD

of note . .


The American Identity Crisis

in 2008 the bradley Projecton america’s nationalidentity, sponsored by theHarry and lynde bradleyFoundation, in its landmarkreport E Pluribus Unum,starkly warned:

America is facing an identity crisis. The nextgeneration of Americans will know less thantheir parents about our history and foundingideals. And many Americans are more aware of what divides us than of what unites us. We are in danger of becoming not “from many,one”—E Pluribus Unum—but its opposite, “from one, many.”

the report cited evidence of a disintegration ofknowledge and identity that are required for a nationfounded on an idea and a shared sense of history.

the report encouraged:

• the teaching of american history to include great documents and speeches and histories with “compelling narratives.” the founding era should be emphasized “at all levels.” the report recommended, “students should first be taught about america’s great heroes, dramatic achievements and high ideals so they can put its failings in perspective.”

• universities should require a comprehensive course on american national history and government that includes the nation’s great documents and speeches.

• national holidays and national historical sites should be considered “touchstones of national identity.”

• Washington’s and lincoln’s birthdays should be reinstated.

• Purposeful actions should be taken to focus on what “unites us as americans.”

• the nation and its institutions should recognize and honor those serving in the armed Forces, and give military recruiters access to campuses on the same basis as other employers.

• american companies should understand their special obligations to the united states and fellow citizens at home.

• civic education should be focused “on the distinctive features of citizenship in american democracy, not on the misleading idea that one can be a ‘citizen’ of the world.”

• there should be special recognition of students and other citizens who demonstrate exemplary understanding of and commitment to american ideals and institutions.

e Pluribus unumThe Bradley Report on America’s Identity Crisis (2008)

sePtember 2012 | 11

___________________________________________

Each period of American history confronts many problems, but only two or three great issues. The greatpresidents succeeded because they provided leadership on behalf of national unity, common purpose, andshared sacrifice. In short, they reminded Americans who we are and what unites us.

KEY F IND INGS :• 84% of Americans believe in a unique

American identity• 63% believe this identity is weakening• 24% believe the Nation is so divided

that having a common national identity is not possible

• Young people are less likely than older Americans to believe America has a unique national identity

of note . .

The AmericanRevolution and theFounding Era: WhatAmericans Know orWant to Know

the american revolutioncenter is a nationalfoundation currentlyestablishing our nation’s

premiere museum to promote public understanding ofthe importance of the american revolution. chairedby H. F. (gerry) lenfest of Philadelphia, the centerdescribes the relevance of its work in this way:

The American Revolution gave birth to the UnitedStates and created our enduring form ofrepresentative government. Across the globe thosewho struggle for freedom still invoke the powerfulideas of the American Revolution. Far from beinga remote episode in the distant past, the AmericanRevolution is the most important event in the

history of the modern world--and an ongoingexperiment that requires the informedparticipation of all citizens.

in 2009 the center conducted a national survey using a representative sample of american adults. thefindings show that many adults overrate their ownknowledge of american history, yet other data fromthe survey clearly show that adults believe this isimportant knowledge for our country, and indeed, they want to know more.

the center described one significant finding thatunderscores this point:

The vast majority of Americans thought thatknowledge of the history and principles of theAmerican Revolution is very important. Most alsosaid that it is very important for schools to teachthis subject.

___________________________________________

Without constant reinforcement, knowledge erodes.Therefore it is not hard to understand why many adultAmericans knew far less about the AmericanRevolution than they thought they did—or thought theyought to.

The results of this survey suggest that there needs to bea renewed effort to educate Americans about theimportant principles upon which this nation was builtand by which it thrives. The survey provides a strongcase for making resources for continued learningabout the Founding period more accessible, throughmuseums and other places where we can imagine,experience, and appreciate the very heart of what itmeans to be an American.

tHe american reVolution: WHo cares?americans yearning to learn, Failing to KnoWThe American Revolution Center (2009)

of note . .


KEY F IND INGS :• American adults scored an average of only

44% correct• Only four of the 27 questions were

answered correctly by 70% or more of respondents

• Half did not have even a basic understanding of historical chronology, believing that either the Civil War, Emancipation Proclamation, or War of 1812 occurred before the American Revolution

• Many more Americans knew that Michael Jackson authored “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” than knew that Alexander Hamilton was the first Treasury Secretary

• Only 11% of Americans could identify John Jay as the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, while 60% knew the number of children of Jon and Kate Gosselin, a reality-TV show couple

• More than 50% of Americans wrongly attributed the quote “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs” to either George Washington, Thomas Paine, or President Barack Obama, when it is in facta quote from Karl Marx, author of The Communist Manifesto

• One-third did not know that the right to a jury trial is covered in the Bill of Rights, while 40% mistakenly thought that the right to vote is

• From a list of major battles, two-thirds of Americans could not correctly name Yorktown as the last major military action of the American Revolution

• When asked to give themselves a grade on their knowledge of American Revolution history before taking the test, only 3% gave themselves an F, while in actuality nearly 83% received a failing grade.


JOHN JAYJON AND KATE

THOUGHT THEY FAILEDACTUALLY FAILED


the national assessment of educational Progress is a test given to several thousand representativeamerican school students in grades 4, 8, and 12 in various subject matters. For this journal we lookedat the civics and united states History assessmentsof 2010. summaries and complete copies of thesefindings can be found on the website: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/

Proficiency

one of the key measures of student learning is thepercentage of students who are ranked at or above“proficiency.” the naeP defines the “proficientlevel” as solid academic performance to which allstudents at each grade assessed should aspire. inother words, students reaching this level havedemonstrated “competency.”

In Civics

Here are some examples given that demonstrate“proficiency” in civics at the 3 grade levels:

• identify a purpose of the u.s. constitution (grade 4).

• recognize a role performed by the supreme court (grade 8).

• define the term “melting pot” and argue if it applies to the u.s. (grade 12).

In United States History

Here are some examples given that demonstrate“proficiency” in united states History at the 3 gradelevels:

• understand that canals increased trade among states (grade 4).

• identify a domestic impact of war (grade 8).

• understand missouri statehood in the context of sectionalism (grade 12).

tHe latest results on student learningin ciVics and united states HistoryNational Assessment of Educational Progress (2010)

KEY F IND INGS IN C IV ICS :• Only 27% of fourth-graders at or above

proficient• Only 22% of eighth-graders at or above

proficient• Only 24% of twelfth-graders performed at

or above proficient

KEY TRENDS IN C IV ICS :• For grade 4, 2010 proficiency was higher

than in 2006 and 1998• For grade 8, no significant changes in

proficiency from previous years• For grade 12, 2010 proficiency declined

from 2006


KEY F INDINGS IN H ISTORY:• Only 20% of fourth-graders at or above

proficient• Only 17% of eighth-graders at or above

proficient• Only 12% of twelfth-graders at or above

proficient

KEY TRENDS IN H ISTORY:• At grades 4 and 8 the percentages of

students at or above proficient were higher than in the first assessment of 1994

• There was no significant change in performance of twelfth-graders in 2010 compared to 1994

Proficiencymeasurements

in Civics

Proficiencymeasurementsin United States

History

Basic Level

Perhaps even more alarming data are found in thepercentages of students who fail to earn even a “basic”level or ranking. basic denotes only partial mastery ofwhat is deemed fundamental learning for a particularsubject and grade level. Here are the sobering percentagesof students failing to attain even a “basic” achievementlevel:

• 4th graders not reaching even “basic” level:23% in civics and 27% in u.s. History

• 8th graders not reaching even “basic” level:28% in civics and 31% in u.s. History

• 12th graders not reaching even “basic” level: 36% in civics and 55% in u.s. History

_______________________________________________

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connorreacted to the 2011 release of these assessments:

Today’s NAEP results confirm that we have a crisis on ourhands when it comes to civics education. --- We cannotafford to continue to neglect the preparation of futuregenerations for active and informed citizenship.

of note . .


several other studies have examined related topicswith different areas of emphasis. Here is a sampling:

• the landmark report delivered in1983 to the reagan administration,titled A Nation at Risk took aim atwhat it deemed serious deficiencies inamerican education. in one excerptthe authors addressed an overarchingconcern:

Our concern, however, goes well beyond matterssuch as industry and commerce. It also includesthe intellectual, moral, and spiritual strengths ofour people which knit together the very fabric ofour society. The people of the UnitedStates need to know thatindividuals in our society who donot possess the levels of skill,literacy, and training essential tothis new era will be effectivelydisenfranchised, not simply fromthe material rewards thataccompany competentperformance, but also from thechance to participate fully in ournational life. A high level of sharededucation is essential to a free, democratic societyand to the fostering of a common culture,especially in a country that prides itself onpluralism and individual freedom.

For our country to function, citizens must be ableto reach some common understandings on complex

issues, often on short notice and on the basis ofconflicting or incomplete evidence. Educationhelps form these common understandings, a pointThomas Jefferson made long ago in his justlyfamous dictum: ‘I know no safe depository of theultimate powers of the society but the peoplethemselves; and if we think them not enlightenedenough to exercise their control with a wholesomediscretion, the remedy is not to take it from thembut to inform their discretion.’

• the 1997 Commission on Civic Renewal was a bipartisan commission supported by a major grant of the Pew charitable trusts and co-chaired bydemocrat sam nunn and republican William bennett.its background papers and hearing reports remain asource of thoughtful reflection on a number of ways toaddress civic renewal. its report A Nation ofSpectators addressed not only the need for civiceducation, it addressed what it termed a “moralfoundation” necessary for civic renewal:

From the origin of our republic, we have been astrongly religious nation, and the Founders werenear—unanimous in viewing religion as an aidand friend to the constitutional order. As GeorgeWashington reminded a young nation in hisFarewell Address, ‘Of all the dispositions andhabits which lead to political prosperity, religionand morality are essential supports. And let uswith caution indulge the supposition that moralitycan be maintained without religion.’

Today, because we remain a strongly religiousnation, faithful citizens and faith-based institutionsare pivotal to any American movement for civicrenewal. But while civic renewal unquestionablyrests on a moral foundation, it does not requireany particular denominational creed. Thefoundation we need is rather the constitutional

a glance at otHer rePorts and Findings(1983-2012)


faith we share—in the moral principles set forth inthe Declaration of Independence and the publicpurposes set forth in the Preamble to theConstitution.

The rebellious signers of the Declaration ofIndependence risked everything, pledging to oneanother “our lives, our fortunes, and our sacredhonor.” Not every age requires such heroism. Butfor us as for those who have gone before, thedefense of liberty requires morethan the pursuit of happiness: itrequires the modest but vital virtues of lovingparents, faithful spouses, good neighbors, law—abiding citizens, and sober patriots. We needtolerance and commitment; and especially inmoments of challenge we need the capacity forsacrifice.

These are the moral imperatives of democracy --in the words of James Madison, the virtue neededfor self-government. Only this shared civicmorality can bring us together across ourdifferences to secure the greatest of our publicpurposes — the blessings of liberty for ourselvesand our posterity.

• in 2000 Harvard university’ssaguaro seminar issued the reportBetter Together focusing on thewithdrawal of americans from sharedand once commonplace social andcommunity activities, such as dinnerparties, community performances,opting instead to “live alone and play

alone” and become “mere observers” rather thanactive participants in communities. in its words,

…without strong habits of social and politicalparticipation, the world’s longest and mostsuccessful experiment in democracy is at risk oflosing the very norms, networks, and institutionsof civic life that have made us the most emulatedand respected nation in history. The reversal ofthis downward spiral is critical to the civic andsocial health of our nation.

• the report The Civic Missionof Schools (issued by carnegiecorporation and circle) notedin 2003 that the nationalstandardized testing movementwith a needed emphasis on readingand mathematics had nevertheless

worked to the detriment of american civiceducation.

• the 2003 report Citizenship: A Challenge for All Generations was jointly issued by the trust forrepresentative democracy, administered by thenational conference of state legislatures, the centerfor civic education, and the center on congress atindiana university. its summary is succinct and direct:

…young people do notunderstand the ideals ofcitizenship, they are disengagedfrom the political process, theylack the knowledge necessaryfor effective self-government,and their appreciation andsupport of American democracyis limited.

• a 2009 poll of oklahoma citizens who hadattended high school in oklahoma found that just58% could pass the same test required of immigrantsto become a citizen. (this news came on the heels ofmedia reports that high school students in arizonaand oklahoma failed miserably, with passing rates of3.5% and 2.8% respectively, on the same basiccitizenship test.) david boren, former governor andu. s. senator, and now president of the university ofoklahoma – who is a leader for teaching history andcivics in K-12 and higher education – said:

It is scandalous and shocking to realize that somany of the nation’s brightest students have notlearned that the Bill of Rights and theConstitution, paid for by the blood of patriots,protect our liberties.

• in 2010 the Center for the Constitution, a partof the Montpelier Foundation which administersthe property and programs associated with Jamesmadison’s montpelier Va home, found that 12% ofthe general public believe that america’sconstitution is outdated and should be replaced by anew one. Significantly, just 14% ofyoung people (18-24) reporthaving read the Constitution yet38% of that age group believeAmerica needs a new Constitution.

• the Intercollegiate StudiesInstitute in its 2011 civic literacyreport reported its findings aboutamerican higher education’scontribution to civic engagement:

ISI has surveyed over28,000 undergraduates from over 80 separate colleges, and the average score on our basic 60-question exam was 54%, an “F.” At elite schools like Yale, Cornell,Princeton, Duke, Georgetown, and Johns Hopkins,their freshmen did better than their seniors on thesame test, what ISI dubs “negative learning.”College-educated adults were particularly ignorantof the Founding and Civil War eras, constitutionalthemes, and the essential features of a marketeconomy. --- The only conclusion one can drawfrom these findings is that a college degree fallsshort in “enlightening” its students in thefundamental aspects of American republicanism.And contrary to conventional wisdom, ISI'sresearch reveals that especially at elite schools,there is a significant disconnect between formalhigher education on the one hand, and greater civiclearning on the other.

• Xavier University's Center for the Study of theAmerican Dream conducted a nationwide survey inspring, 2012. the center's research persistently showsa strong distrust of our public institutions, particularlygovernment and our political leaders, yet 59% ofsurvey respondents could not name one power of thefederal government, 77% could not name one powerof the states, and 62% could not name the governor oftheir state. the highest incorrect scores consistentlyconcern the u. s. constitution, and the foundations ofthe american republic. For example, 85% did notknow the meaning of the "the rule of law;" 82% couldnot name "two rights stated in the declaration ofindependence;" 75% were not able to correctly answer"What does the judiciary branch do?; " 71% were



unable to identify the constitution as the "supremelaw of the land;” and 62% could not identify "Whathappened at the constitutional convention?" michaelFord, founding director of the center said:

Civic illiteracy threatens the American Dreambecause it threatens the freedoms we treasure.Civic illiteracy makes us more susceptible tomanipulation and abuses of power.


LOSING AMERICA’SMEMORY: an uPdate

Ten years have passed since the publication of ACTA’s reportLosing America’s Memory and Restoring America’s Legacy.As a whole, do you believe that American higher education hasheard and heeded the challenge to include the teaching ofAmerican history in curricular requirements?

it has been more than a decade since the american council of trusteesand alumni issued Losing America’s Memory and Restoring America’sLegacy. those reports received substantial media coverage as the publicand parents registered shock at college graduates’ profound historicalamnesia. since that time, acta has worked hard to emphasize theobligation of america’s colleges and universities to provide theirgraduates with a grounding in american history and government. employers such as John engler, head of the business roundtable, andcharles Kolb, president of the committee for economic development,have joined acta’s urgent call for higher education to provide studentswith a strong foundation. a 2011 survey that roper Public affairs andcorporate communications administered on acta’s behalf found thatthe american public understands the importance of the core curriculum.When asked, “in your view, should colleges and universities require allstudents to take basic classes in core subjects such as writing, math,science, economics, u.s. history, and foreign language, or not?” 70%said yes. the strongest support (80%) came from respondents aged 25-34, the demographic that includes recent graduates who have justentered today’s demanding workforce. over half the employersresponding to a 2010 survey by Hart research associates called oncolleges to put more emphasis on civic knowledge and the role of theunited states in the world.

acta, in 2010, launched a new online college ratings called What WillThey Learn?, www.whatwilltheylearn.com, which promotes americanhistorical literacy and a core curriculum and analyzes more than 1000colleges and universities across the country. What Will They Learn?grades schools on seven core requirements and gives schools credit foramerican history if they require a survey course in either u.s.government or history which exposes students to the sweep of americanhistory and institutions.

an n e d. ne a lPresident, American Council of Trustees and Alumni


What Will They Learn? is changing the debatethrough public pressure and careful, methodical,school-by-school outreach. every college trusteereceives a report on how his school fared comparedto others in its state. at the same time, high profilenews draws attention to our findings. Williammcgurn devoted a Wall street Journal column toWhat Will They Learn?, Pulitzer-Prize-winningcolumnist Kathleen Parker has twice endorsed ourresearch in her columns, and our work has beendiscussed in hundreds of papers in media markets asdiverse as tampa, Portland, indianapolis, andsacramento. in total, these papers reached 17 millionreaders. the rating also increasingly appears in highschool guidance materials –an excellent audiencesince students are making college choices. our collaboration with institutional leaders andboards of trustees is paying off. While progress isslower than we would like, the higher educationcommunity is heeding our call. acta hasdetermined that 20% of american colleges anduniversities today require their graduates to have afoundational course in american history orgovernment and, in very positive news, we anticipateat least four schools will add requirements in u.s.history or economics in 2012 or 2013, including twomajor public universities.

Are there any examples of any specificinstitutions of higher education that you thinkshould be praised for their progress inaddressing this challenge?

schools like baylor and university of science andarts of oklahoma have set superb american historyrequirements as have texas public universities andcalifornia state institutions. Flagship publicuniversities in arkansas, georgia, nevada,oklahoma, utah, and Wyoming also laudably requireamerican history.

acta has compiled a list of colleges anduniversities across the country which requireamerican history; you can find it at our website,www.whatwilltheylearn.com and i urge parents andstudents to use this resource when they (or theirfriends) make college choices.

Often citizens may share the same concernsabout the need to teach American history butdon’t know what they can do to encourageaction. Are there any specific things youwould like to see citizens and leaders do toaddress the glaring absence of Americanhistory in American higher education?

there are a number of steps citizens and leaders cantake to encourage american historical literacy.

• discuss american history requirements with yourstate legislator. in some states, legislatures havecreated core curriculum standards to ensure crucialsubjects are taught. For example, texas state lawrequires that all public universities teach courses ongovernment and american History. a similar statutein california stipulates that all schools in thecalifornia state university system “requirecomprehensive study of american history andamerican government” as a condition of graduation.since there are currently only two colleges inalabama, both of them private, that require afoundational course in american history –stillmanand Faulkner—this might be a very interestingconversation!

• a better approach may be insisting that collegesand universities make improving students’ historicalmemory and civic competence an urgent priority.governors appoint trustees; so it is important thatcitizens let governors know that they wantappointees who will insist graduates have a strongfoundation in american history; indeed, laxrequirements in this area put our democratic republicat risk. trustees in tennessee, south dakota, georgiaand nevada have taken the initiative to create corecurriculum standards that apply to all schools withina system. as it turns out, a basic core curriculum canbe offered far more affordably than the array of nicheand boutique courses offered today.

• Vote with your feet and your wallets. Findschools which require american history on ourwebsite, www.whatwilltheylearn.com, and supportthem. if you are in the college selection process, ask

questions about american history requirements andif there aren’t any, ask why not. if family membersare already attending a college without suchrequirements, help them find those coursesthemselves. Parents should help students understandthat trendy courses that may strike their short-termfancy will not serve their long-term needs.

• alumni should take an active interest in whethertheir alma maters have strong requirements inamerican history and other basic subjects. theyshould object and even withhold their gifts if theschool fails to do so and support organizations likeacta and mount Vernon which are working hard torestore american historical literacy.

• support the return of Washington’s birthday as adistinctive celebration. legislation has beenintroduced by rep. Frank Wolf and others incongress which would do so and both acta and themount Vernon ladies’ association were honored tospeak in support.

• Keep american memory alive in the family bytreating national holidays and historic sites aseducational opportunities and occasions toacknowledge and celebrate america’s exceptionalhistory.

Finally, use our resources: acta has released anumber of publications focused on americanhistorical literacy.

What Will They Learn?: 2004 to the present.this annual report, and the companion website,www.whatwilltheylearn.com, detail whether morethan 1000 schools ensure their graduates have astrong general education, including the study ofamerican history or government. the report showswhether each school requires literature, u.s.government or history, foreign language,mathematics, economics, science and composition.acta assigns each school a letter grade, and notesexplain the grades assigned. developed in responseto the inadequacy of existing college rankings, WhatWill They Learn? is the only resource that reviewscollege curricula comprehensively to answer the first

question that parents, guidance counselors, andtrustees should ask: what will students learn?

ACTA’s 2012-13 report will be released onseptember 19, along with the results of a new ropersurvey of college graduates’ knowledge of americanhistory and government. go to our website,www.goacta.org to learn more.

E Pluribus Unum: The Bradley Project onAmerica’s National Identity, 2008. in 2008, actacoordinated this report focusing on how america’shistorical illiteracy threatens america’s nationalidentity. www.bradleyproject.org. the project seeksto create a national conversation on americannational identity, and to affirm the belief that whatunites americans is far greater than what dividesthem. a Harris survey conducted in conjunction withthe report shows that young people are less likelythan older americans to be proud of their country orto believe that it has a unique national identity.

We the People: A Resource Guide to PromotingHistorical Literacy for Governors, Legislators,Teachers and Citizens, compiled in support of theWhite House Forum on American History, Civicsand Service, 2003.http://www.goacta.org/publications/downloads/WethePeople.pdf on september 17, 2002, President george W. bushannounced a major initiative to restore historical andcivic understanding. acta prepared this resourceguide in support of the initiative. the report includessummaries of several acta studies on historicalilliteracy, the congressional concurrent resolutioncalling for action, and a toolkit that can be used onthe local level to draw attention to america’shistorical amnesia.

Losing America’s Memory, 2000.http://www.goacta.org/publications/downloads/losingamerica'smemory.pdf this stunning report reveals that 81% of seniorsfrom the top 55 us colleges and universities failed ahigh school level history exam; even worse, none ofthe institutions surveyed requires a course inamerican history, and three-quarters require no



history at all. the report inspired congress to pass ajoint resolution calling for a national response. over800 news stories reported on the study.

Benjamin Franklin said ours is “...a Republicyou can keep it.” Do you have any insight orcomments you would like to share about whatit means for citizens and leaders to “keep theRepublic” in these times?

Franklin understood – as did most of hiscontemporaries – that a republic is not self-sustaining. the Founding Fathers were united in thebelief that an educated citizenry was essential toamerica’s success as a nation. like Jefferson, theybelieved profoundly that “if a nation expects to beignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expectswhat never was and never will be.”

Having helped shape our country, these great menunderstood that the next and critical step was toensure an educational system that would produceinformed leaders and citizens for the country theyhad courageously established.

of course, the Founders’ belief that the americanrepublic can be sustained only by educated citizensis at the very foundation of acta’s work. so, whenit comes to insights, it’s my fervent hope that citizensand leaders will demand that we restore rigorousstudy of american history and government at alllevels of our educational system since historicalliteracy is indispensable for the formation ofresponsible citizens and the preservation of freeinstitutions.

the american council of trustees and alumni is dedicated toadvancing academic excellence and accountability in americanhigher education. acta is uniquely focused on restoringamerica’s memory and welcomes the support of citizens acrossamerica to achieve this important goal.

readers can find out more about acta at www.goacta.org,www.whatwilltheylearn.com, and on acta’s Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/goacta.

Pulitzer-prize-winning historian david mccullough has saidthat “no organization is doing so much and so effectively toreturn history to its rightful place of importance in americaneducation as is the american council of trustees and alumni(acta). theirs is a cause we should all take to heart andsupport.”


Presidential PersPectiVeson america’s legacy

oF liberty

President Jefferson’s Inaugural Address, 1801:

sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government ofhimself. can he then be trusted with the government of others? or havewe found angels, in the form of kings, to govern him? let history answerthis question.

let us then, with courage and confidence, pursue our own federal andrepublican principles; our attachment to union and representativegovernment.

about to enter, fellow citizens, on the exercise of duties whichcomprehend everything dear and valuable to you, it is proper you shouldunderstand what i deem the essential principles of our government…equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion,religious or political; peace, commerce, and honest friendship with allnations, entangling alliances with none; the support of the stategovernments in all their rights, as the most competent administrationsfor our domestic concerns, and the surest bulwarks against anti-republican tendencies; the preservation of the general government in itswhole constitutional vigor, as the sheet anchor of our peace at home, andsafety abroad; a jealous care of the right of election by the people, a mildand safe corrective of abuses which are lopped by the sword ofrevolution where peaceable remedies are unprovided; absoluteacquiescence in the decisions of the majority, the vital principle ofrepublics, from which is no appeal but to force, the vital principle andimmediate parent of the despotism; a well disciplined militia, our bestreliance in peace, and for the first moments of war, till regulars mayrelieve them; the supremacy of the civil over the military authority;economy in the public expense, that labor may be lightly burthened; thehonest payment of our debts and sacred preservation of the public faith;encouragement of agriculture, and of commerce as its handmaid; thediffusion of information, and arraignment of all abuses at the bar of thepublic reason; freedom of religion; freedom of the press; and freedom ofperson, under the protection of the Habeas corpus; and trial by juriesimpartially selected.

these principles form the bright constellation, which has gone before usand guided our steps through an age of revolution and reformation. thewisdom of our sages, and blood of our heroes have been devoted to theirattainment: they should be the creed of our political faith; the text ofcivic instruction, the touchstone by which to try the services of those wetrust; and should we wander from them in moments of error or of alarm,let us hasten to retrace our steps, and to regain the road which aloneleads to peace, liberty and safe

tH o m a s Je F F e r s o n3rd President of theUnited States of America1801 - 1809


PRESIDENTIALPERSPECTIVES


Address at the National Archives Dedicating the New Shrine forthe Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Billof Rights — December 15, 1952:

We are assembled here on this bill of rights day to do honor to thethree great documents which, together, constitute the charter of our formof government.

the declaration of independence, the constitution, and the bill ofrights are now assembled in one place for display and safekeeping.Here, so far as is humanly possible, they will be protected from disasterand from the ravages of time.

i am glad that the bill of rights is at last to be exhibited side by sidewith the constitution. these two original documents have beenseparated far too long. in my opinion the bill of rights is the mostimportant part of the constitution of the united states--the onlydocument in the world that protects the citizen against his government.

We venerate these documents not because they are old, not because theyare valuable historical relics, but because they still have meaning for us.it is 161 years today since the bill of rights was ratified. but it is stillpointing the way to greater freedom and greater opportunities for humanhappiness. so long as we govern our nation by the letter and the spirit ofthe bill of rights, we can be sure that our nation will grow in strengthand wisdom and freedom.

everyone who holds office in the Federal government or in thegovernment of one of our states takes an oath to support theconstitution of the united states. i have taken such an oath many times,including two times when i took the special oath required of thePresident of the united states.

this oath we take has a deep significance. its simple words compress alot of our history and a lot of our philosophy of government into onesmall space. in many countries men swear to be loyal to their king, or totheir nation. Here we promise to uphold and defend a great document.

this is because the document sets forth our idea of government. andbeyond this, with the declaration of independence, it expresses our ideaof man. We believe that man should be free. and these documentsestablish a system under which man can be free and set up a frameworkto protect and expand that freedom.

the longer i live, the more i am impressed by the significance of oursimple official oath to uphold and defend the constitution. Perhaps it

Ha r ry s. tr u m a n33rd President of theUnited States of America1945 - 1953



takes a lifetime of experience to understand howmuch the constitution means to our national life. ---We are engaged here today in a symbolic act. We areenshrining these documents for future ages. butunless we keep alive in our hearts the true meaningof these documents, what we are doing here couldprove to be of little value.

We have treated the documents themselves with theutmost respect. We have used every device thatmodern science has invented to protect and preservethem. From their glass cases we have excludedeverything that might harm them, even the air itself.this magnificent hall has been constructed to exhibitthem, and the vault beneath, that we have built toprotect them, is as safe from destruction as anythingthat the wit of modern man can devise. all this is anhonorable effort, based upon reverence for the greatpast, and our generation can take just pride in it.

but we must face the fact that all this pomp andcircumstance could be the exact opposite of what weintend. this ceremony could be no more than amagnificent burial. if the constitution and thedeclaration of independence were enshrined in thearchives building, but nowhere else, they would bedead, and this place would beonly a stately tomb.

the constitution and thedeclaration of independence canlive only as long as they areenshrined in our hearts andminds. if they are not soenshrined, they would be nobetter than mummies in theirglass cases, and they could intime become idols whose worshipwould be a grim mockery of thetrue faith. only as thesedocuments are reflected in thethoughts and acts of americanscan they remain symbols of apower that can move the world.

that power is our faith in human liberty. that faith isimmortal, but it is not invincible. it has sometimesbeen abandoned, it has been betrayed, it has beenbeaten to earth again and again, and although it hasnever been killed, it has been reduced to impotencefor centuries at a time. it is far older than ourrepublic. the motto on our liberty bell, "Proclaimliberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitantsthereof," is from the book of leviticus, which issupposed to have been written nearly 1,500 yearsbefore christ. in the 35 centuries since that date, thelove of liberty has never died, but liberty itself hasbeen lost again and again.

We find it hard to believe that liberty could ever belost in this country. but it can be lost, and it will be,if the time ever comes when these documents areregarded not as the supreme expression of our pro,found belief, but merely as curiosities in glass cases. ---so i confidently predict that what we are doing todayis placing before the eyes of many generations tocome the symbols of a living faith. and, like thesight of the flag "in the dawn's early light," the sightof these symbols will lift up their hearts, so they willgo out of this building helped and strengthened andinspired.

Dedication of the Shrine at the National archives.


President Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961:

We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom—symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning—signifying renewal, as wellas change. For i have sworn before you and almighty god the samesolemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quartersago.

the world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands thepower to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of humanlife. and yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebearsfought are still at issue around the globe—the belief that the rights ofman come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand ofgod.

We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. letthe word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, thatthe torch has been passed to a new generation of americans—born inthis century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace,proud of our ancient heritage—and unwilling to witness or permit theslow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has alwaysbeen committed, and to which we are committed today at home andaround the world.

let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall payany price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend,oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.this much we pledge—and more.

---all this will not be finished in the first 100 days. nor will it be finishedin the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this administration, nor evenperhaps in our lifetime on this planet. but let us begin.in your hands, my fellow citizens, more than in mine, will rest the finalsuccess or failure of our course. since this country was founded, eachgeneration of americans has been summoned to give testimony to itsnational loyalty. the graves of young americans who answered the callto service surround the globe.

---and so, my fellow americans: ask not what your country can do foryou—ask what you can do for your country.

---With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the finaljudge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking Hisblessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth god's work musttruly be our own.

Jo H n F. Ke n n e d y35th President of theUnited States of America1961 - 1963



President Reagan’s Farewell Address, January 11, 1989:

…there is a great tradition of warnings in Presidential farewells, and i'vegot one that's been on my mind for some time. but oddly enough, itstarts with one of the things i'm proudest of in the past 8 years: theresurgence of national pride that i called the new patriotism. thisnational feeling is good, but it won't count for much, and it won't lastunless it's grounded in thoughtfulness and knowledge.

an informed patriotism is what we want.… are we doing a good enoughjob teaching our children what america is and what she represents in thelong history of the world?

those of us who are over thirty-five or so years of age grew up in adifferent america. We were taught, very directly, what it means to be anamerican. and we absorbed, almost in the air, a love of country and anappreciation of its institutions. if you didn't get these things from yourfamily, you got them from the neighborhood, from the father down thestreet who fought in Korea of the family who lost someone at anzio. oryou could get a sense of patriotism from school. and if all else failed,you could get a sense of patriotism from the popular culture. the moviescelebrated democratic values and implicitly reinforced the idea thatamerica was special. tV was like that, too…

but now … some things have changed. younger parents aren't sure thatan unambivalent appreciation of america is the right thing to teachmodern children. and as for those who create the popular culture, well-grounded patriotism is no longer the style. --- We've got to do a betterjob of getting across that america is freedom … and freedom is specialand rare … it’s fragile; it needs protection.

so, we've got to teach history based not on what's in fashion but what'simportant--why the Pilgrims came here, who Jimmy doolittle was, andwhat those 30 seconds over tokyo meant. you know, 4 years ago on the40th anniversary of d-day, i read a letter from a young woman writingto her late father, who'd fought on omaha beach. Her name was lisaZanatta Henn, and she said, "We will always remember, we will neverforget what the boys of normandy did." Well, let's help her keep herword. if we forget what we did, we won't know who we are. i'm warningof an eradication of the american memory that could result, ultimately,in an erosion of the american spirit. let's start with some basics: moreattention to american history and a greater emphasis on civic ritual.

and let me offer lesson number one about america: all great change inamerica begins at the dinner table. so, tomorrow night in the kitchen, ihope the talking begins. and children, if your parents haven't beenteaching you what it means to be an american, let 'em know and nail 'emon it. that would be a very american thing to do.

ro n a l d W. re a g a n40th President of theUnited States of America1981 - 1989



Excerpts of remarks on Teaching American History and Civicsby President George W. BushWhite House Rose Garden — Constitution Day, 2002

it is an honor to be introduced by david mccullough. i appreciate hiscontribution to our nation. He's made history come alive for millions ofamericans. He's encouraged the teaching of history in our classrooms.He's made a lasting contribution to our nation. and we're grateful forthat contribution.

it is fitting that on the anniversary of the signing of the constitution, thethree branches of our government are represented here.

Here in america, we see a broad renewal of american patriotism. andthis is something to give thanks for…and it's something we must buildon. to properly understand and love our country, we must know ourcountry's history.

today, i am announcing several initiatives that will improve students'knowledge of american history, increase their civic involvement, anddeepen their love for our great country.

---

in the last year, we have witnessed acts of sacrifice and heroism,compassion and courage, unity and fierce determination. We have beenreminded that we are citizens with obligations to each other, to ourcountry, and to our history.

these examples are particularly important for our children. childrenreflect the values they see in their parents, and in their heroes. and thisis how a culture can be strengthened and changed for the better.during the last year, our children have seen that lasting achievement inlife comes through sacrifice and service. they've seen that evil is real,but that courage and justice can triumph. they've seen that america is aforce for good in the world, bringing hope and freedom to other people.in recent events, our children have witnessed the great character ofamerica. yet they also need to know the great cause of america. theyare seeing americans fight for our country; they also must know whytheir country is worth fighting for.

our history is not a story of perfection. it's a story of imperfect peopleworking toward great ideals. this flawed nation is also a really goodnation, and the principles we hold are the hope of all mankind. Whenchildren are given the real history of america, they will also learn tolove america.

ge o r g e W. bu s H43rd President of theUnited States of America2001 - 2009



our Founders believed the studyof history and citizenship shouldbe at the core of every american'seducation. yet today, our childrenhave large and disturbing gaps intheir knowledge of history.recent studies tell us that nearlyone in five high school seniorsthink that germany was an ally ofthe united states in World War ii.twenty-eight percent of eighthgraders do not know the reasonwhy the civil War was fought.one-third of fourth graders do notknow what it means to "pledgeallegiance to the flag."graduating seniors at some of ourleading colleges and universitiescannot correctly identify words from the gettysburgaddress, or do not know that James madison is thefather of the constitution.this is more than academic failure. ignorance ofamerican history and civics weakens our sense ofcitizenship. to be an american is not just a matter ofblood or birth; we are bound by ideals, and ourchildren must know those ideals.

they should know about the nearly impossiblevictory of the revolutionary War, and the debates ofthe constitutional convention. they should knowthe meaning of the declaration of independence, andhow abraham lincoln applied its principles to fightslavery. our children should know why martinluther King, Jr., was in a birmingham city jail, andwhy he wrote a magnificent letter from that place.

our children need to know about america'sliberation of europe during World War ii, and whythe berlin Wall came down. at this very moment,americans are fighting in foreign lands for principlesdefined at our founding, and every american --particularly every american child -- should fullyunderstand these principles.

---

american children are not born knowing what theyshould cherish -- are not born knowing why theyshould cherish american values. a love ofdemocratic principles must be taught.

a poet once said, "What we have loved, others willlove, and we will teach them how." We love ourcountry, and we must teach our children to do thesame. and when we do, they will carry on ourheritage of freedom into the future.

President Bush and David McCullough in the White House RoseGarden on Constitution Day, 2002


For three decades a number of serious and crediblealarms have sounded: america is facing a seriouschallenge – no, it is a crisis – involving our nation’shistory, our national memory and identity. our choicewhether to address this challenge or to ignore it willhave extraordinary consequences for our country.

What is this crisis?

in the first part of this journal we reviewed severalreports. study after study, survey after survey, and testafter test all tell variations of the same theme. Whatthey tell us can be summed up in these ways:

We as a people have lost ground in our own knowledgeof America’s founding, its principles, and institutions.

in 2011 Newsweek magazine commissioned a teston basic citizenship of 1000 of our fellowamericans. Here are a few of the results:

73% did not know that we fought the cold War against communism.

70% did not know the constitution is the supreme law of the land.

65% did not know the constitution was written at the constitutional convention.

We are doing an abysmal job in passing on the basicsof American history and civics to young people.

36% our nation’s 12th graders don’t have an even“basic” understanding of american civics.

56% of them fail in having an even “basic”understanding of u. s. history.

less than 24% of graduating college seniors knewJames madison as the father of the constitution,yet 99% of them knew beavis and butthead.

We are failing to prepare and inspire a new generationof Americans for their vital roles as citizens andleaders, as stewards of American liberty andconstitutional self-government.

the trust for representative democracy summedit up well: “…young people do not understand theideals of citizenship, they are disengaged from thepolitical process, they lack the knowledgenecessary for effective self-government, and theirappreciation and support of american democracyis limited.”

reclaiming americanmemory and identity

Tom Walker

We have largely abandoned our personal robust senseof “ownership” of the American civic society,frequently disengaging as citizens.

Famously the national commission on civicrenewal, a bipartisan commission supported inpart by the Pew charitable trust and chaired byformer u. s. senator sam nunn and formereducation secretary William bennett, succinctlysummed up the problem in the title of its report,warning we are becoming A Nation of Spectators.

the report warned of our being spectators, orworse, consumers of the services of government,opting not to buy into our indispensable role ascivic owners in a self-governing society. this isnot just in the political sense, but also in thecontext of everyday life: as we take on self-responsibility for our own personal actions andconduct.

in that regard, too much of our culture promotesself over the common good, and the role ofspectator-critic over engaged-citizen.

We have less respect for and confidence in ourinstitutions of government and society and in ourleaders.

the rasmussen polls track american attitudes.consistently only about 20% of americans say theFederal government has the “consent of thegoverned.”

a summer 2011 gallup poll found: 81% ofamericans disapprove of the way our country isbeing governed, 57% have little or no confidencein the Federal government, 53% have little or noconfidence in the men and women who seek or

hold elected office, and 49% believe the federalgovernment has become so large and powerful thatit poses an immediate threat to the rights andfreedoms of ordinary citizens.

Last, we may conclude that there is evidence that theties that bind us together as Americans seem frayed,suggesting we are losing sense of a common Americanidentity and purpose.

For many years america was considered a“melting pot” – where the common americanidentity was based on liberty and opportunity. thenational motto E Pluribus Unum – from many, one– epitomized this virtue.

Four years ago the bradley report on nationalidentity found that 84% of americans believe in aunique american identity but that 63% ofamerican believe this identity is weakening. afourth of americans believe that the nation is sodivided that having a common national identity isno longer possible.

Why does this crisis matter?

this crisis matters because america is not just likeevery other country or just a spot on a changing globe.america is an idea.

this idea animated a people to revolution. the ideagave definition and purpose to the revolution; it wasexpressed in the compelling and exceptionaldeclaration of independence. still later, that ideawould be given form in our constitution and bill ofrights. even when it was not fully realized, the ideawould be claimed in succeeding generations as amoral basis for fulfilling its promise of equality.


...the ties that bind us together as Americans seemfrayed, suggesting we are losing sense of a commonAmerican identity and purpose.


the common threads of the idea of america are thethemes of inherent individual liberty, popularsovereignty, equality, justice, rule of law and others.

in some circles the notion that america enjoyed anexceptional founding is discounted if not abjectlydismissed. at a national higher education conference ikeynoted i recall a sociologistasserting it was “quite parochial”for americans to “cling” to theidea that something remarkablehappened here in 1776.moreover, he claimed, it was“narrow-minded” to suggest thatwhat happened at independenceHall then was more importantthan what was happening in someother part of the world.regrettably the remark isindicative of a schism ordeepening divide that separatesthose who subscribe to americaas a transforming idea and thosewhose own narrative denies it.

President John F. Kennedy wrote:

History is the means bywhich a nation establishes itssense of identity and purpose.

History is made of the real storiesof real people who faced choices fraught with risksand uncertainties, who made decisions or took actions,by which individually and together, they have madeour country what it is. american history is marked byour triumphs, and yes also by our shortcomings. isn’tthat the case with each human being? and do we notseek to learn from our shortcomings, but still strive forour ideals?

though americans attained enjoyment of liberty atdifferent stages through different struggles, are not thestories of patriots at concord bridge of 1775 and theedmund Pettus bridge of 1965 linked by a common orshared theme of freedom?

this crisis is not about forgetting some incidental orobscure historical date or fact. it is the danger offorgetting the larger ideals of america expressed inour charters of freedom. We must not fall prey to thenotion that these revolutionary ideals of liberty andself-government are outdated and disposable likemuch of the transitory material culture around us.

in the 2003 Jefferson lecture,american historian davidmccullough spoke oftrumbull’s painting depictingJuly 4, 1776, and the signing ofthe declaration. He noted somehistorical elements of thepainting that were not entirelyaccurate, but emphasized whatwas right about it:

What does matter greatly -- particularly in our own dangerous, uncertain time -- is the symbolic power of the painting, and whereTrumbull put the emphasis. The scene proclaims that in Philadelphia in the year 1776 a momentous, high-minded statement of far-reaching consequence was committed to paper. It was not the decree of a king or a

sultan or emperor or czar, or something enacted bya far-distant parliament. It was a declaration ofpolitical faith and brave intent freely arrived at byan American congress. And that was somethingentirely new under the sun.

mccullough pointed out these founders were not gods,but fully human, with their own failings. yet he noted:

The patriotism and courage of these all-importantprotagonists stand as perhaps the mostconspicuous and enduring testaments to theirhumanity. When those who signed the Declarationof Independence pledged their "lives, theirfortunes, their sacred honor," that was no mere

A historical interpreter portrays a suffragistduring programming at the American Village.


verbiage. They were putting their lives on the line.They were declaring themselves traitors to theKing. If caught they would be hanged.

the colonial Williamsburg Foundation hascharacterized the lasting and far-reaching impact ofthe american declaration in this way:

…the Declaration's universal message of equalityspoke not only to the founding fathers' generationbut also to future generations and peoples aroundthe world struggling to throw off oppression. Itswords inspired Abraham Lincoln's GettysburgAddress, the abolitionist movement againstslavery, women seeking the vote, Martin LutherKing's “I Have a Dream” speech, the shipyardworkers of Gdansk, protestors in the streets ofPrague opposed to the Soviet Union, and Chinesestudents confronting communist tanks inTiananmen Square.

the revolutionary words of the american declarationspeak for themselves. they need no high priests tomake them plainly understood. they were writtendirectly to a “candid world.”

the signers held certain “truths to be self-evident.”they proceeded to declare that life and liberty wereendowments given by our creator, the equal right andpossession of each human being. When they declaredthat governments derive their power only by theconsent of the governed, they laid the cornerstone --the essential predicate -- on which americanconstitutional government rests. the idea of americais what is endangered by this crisis.

and americans today, by our deeds or by ourindifference, signal whether we still subscribe to thisrevolutionary idea. We are at once the heirs andbeneficiaries of such an idea and its legacy, yet also itsstewards.

John Trumbull painting of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence.


What must we recognize in confronting this crisis?

as we confront this crisis, i believe there are at leasttwo basic lessons we must recognize if we are tosucceed.

American history is our national memory and identity.

the report of the 1986 commission on the Future ofthe south contained a compelling phrase that is apthere: “History is to a people what memory is to anindividual.” Put another way, history is to all of uswhat memory is to each one of us.

i often speak of my late maternal grandmother, mertiebell earnest braswell, who suffered the memory-robbing disease called alzheimer’s. For a long timeeven after it was apparent this disease had set uponher, she outwardly appeared to be in good health. asthis memory-destroying disease progressed, she likeits many victims faded into an ever-denser fog of

confusion and loss. For its victims the disease leads toa slow yet inexorable disappearance before our veryeyes. an afflicted loved one may be physicallypresent, yet at the same time nowhere to be found.

i deeply mourned the day when grandmother nolonger knew who i was. i did not fully realize thenthere was an even sadder and more consequential dayahead: the day she no longer knew who she was.

Original columns of the United States Capitol.

because of that searing experience, i have aheightened sense of appreciation and thanksgiving forthe vital, life-sustaining role of one’s memory, a giftwe too often take for granted. and it has given me adifferent perspective of the importance of nationalmemory.

What does our personal memory do for us? aside fromreminding us where we left our keys, our memoryinforms our very being, reminding each of us of ourfamily and friends, our beliefs, our experiences, and ofthe things we value and treasure.

memory is more: it is a repository of recollection ofthe life we have lived; it’s a fount of our informedassessment and judgment about the past; it’s a well-spring from which we draw our hopes and dreams fortomorrow. consciously and unconsciously we dependupon it constantly.

simply put, our memory is our identity.

How devastating then it is for an individual to lose hisor her memory – to lose knowledge of self, to loseone’s very identity, to be anchorless and adrift in adeepening greyness of uncertainty.

How far worse it is for a people – for a nation – tolose its memory, history, and identity. How worse tolose our bedrock of defining values: to let the idea ofamerica slip away.

much as with an individual first losing memory, theinitial outward appearance of an america so afflictedwould be deceiving. We would still have ourinstitutions, our monuments, our anthems, and ourmonday holidays. but just as surely they wouldbecome shadows of their former selves, echoes of atime past, exempt symbols and empty exercises. andthe fate of the people would be fearful: americanswould become strangers one to one another, as ifliving in a distant, unfamiliar, distrustful andconfusing land.

over three hundred million americans today – andindeed as Washington said, “unborn millions” – willbe the victims if america does not overcome thiscrisis.

lamentably medical science is unable right now tocure all individual memory-robbing afflictions likealzheimer’s. but the good news is the threats to ournational memory and identity can be overcome, butonly by timely, sustained, purposeful, and concertedeffort.

Civics is the stewardship of American liberty and self-government.

if we aim to “keep the republic” we must make civiclearning a highly relevant priority in our homes,schools, institutions of faith, communities, states, andnation. and it should also occupy a respected place inour popular culture.

Just as reading is fundamental to all of learning, civicsis fundamental to our american life as citizens. civicsis not some esoteric elective study. it is an essentialbody of knowledge needed for the american bodypolitic.

civics involves an understanding of the america idea. but it also encompasses knowledge and understandingof the instruments and institutions of constitutionalself-government.

civics is about informed participation. it is abouthaving a real stake –- a sense of ownership andresponsibility -- for the well-being of ourcommunities, states, and nation.

the late columnist david broder described it this way:

Far more important than the partisan outcome ofany election is the question whether cynicism andapathy or citizenship and participation prevail atthe grassroots.

that participation is not just in the governmental orpolitical arena, but in our public life. it encourages andcultivates the civic virtue of volunteerism. it values thetendency of americans to form civic associations,something alexis de tocqueville found remarkable inthe early 19th century.



civics should reflect our national character, theintangible traits, virtues, and civic habits which arehallmarks of a free and happy society.

What do we choose to do?

We must recognize we have a choice and this is animportant time to choose.

one of the most encouraging and hopeful lessonsdrawn from american history is that our country hasbest overcome the serious threats and challenges thatconfront it when we have chosen to rely on ourfounding principles and ideals.

our first patriots pledged their lives, fortune, andsacred honor for the american idea. in our finest hourswe have overcome obstacles and impediments and onoccasion overt threats and attacks by staying inremembrance of that idea. conversely, in our darkesthours we have fallen short when we chose to strayfrom those founding ideals.

Frederick douglass and the reverend dr. martinluther King, Jr. called on the “promissory note” of ourfounding ideals to overcome slavery and grossinequality in civil rights, respectively.

the response to the heinous attacks of 9/11 wasmarked by a surge of patriotic renewal, and by seeingour neighbors differently: as fellow americans whoare capable of selfless service and sacrifice for thecommon good.

While the founding era did not leave us a perfectrepublic, it nonetheless left enduring principles bywhich it could be perfected. Hence we behold thechallenge of the constitution embodied in itspreamble, “to form a more perfect union.”

Historian mccullough offered these words ofperspective in an interview with dr. bruce cole at thenational endowment for the Humanities:

Now since September 11, it seems to me that neverin our lifetime, except possibly in the early stagesof World War II, has it been clearer that we haveas a source of strength, a source of direction, a

source of inspiration -- our story. Yes, this is adangerous time. Yes, this is a time full of shadowsand fear.

But we have been through worse before and wehave faced more difficult days before. We haveshown courage and determination, and skillful andinventive and courageous and committedresponses to crisis before. We should draw on ourstory, we should draw on our history as we’venever done before.

in short, in america we choose.

that lesson is found in the closing moments of theconstitutional convention. a poignant moment wasrecorded by James madison:

Whilst the last members were signing [theConstitution] Doctr. FRANKLIN looking towardsthe Presidents Chair, at the back of which a risingsun happened to be painted, observed to a fewmembers near him, that Painters had found itdifficult to distinguish in their art a rising from asetting sun. I have said he, often and often in thecourse of the Session, and the vicissitudes of myhopes and fears as to its issue, looked at thatbehind the President without being able to tellwhether it was rising or setting: But now at lengthI have the happiness to know that it is a rising andnot a setting Sun.

The Rising Sunchair in

Washington Hallat the American

Village is areplica of thechair used by

GeorgeWashington,

president of theConstitutionalConvention.


may we remember that by our actions – and equallyby our inaction – we shall choose whether the sun isrising or setting for our country.

How easy it would be to say we are too busy tochoose. We are distanced from the founding era andthe origins of the american idea by over two and aquarter centuries; numbed by the overwhelmingchatter of 24-hour news cycles and partisan soundbites; consumed by our 21st century “busy-ness;” oursenses dulled by a society permeated by a pervasiveself-centered consumerism; distracted bytechnological gadgets and wondering where our nexttweet will come from; some of us relentlessly drivenby goals or others adrift in apathy and indifference.the easy answer would be to postpone the choiceabout this crisis, or even to ignore it. it would be soeasy to say, “it’s not my most pressing problem.”

there is an American crisis. surely the evidence of itis clear. and the consequences are real and serious.

the only thing unclear is how we choose to respond.

to each generation falls the task to choose to form amore perfect union and to secure the blessings ofliberty for ourselves and our posterity.

We are not called to be passive bystanders. the dutythat calls us, in this hour, on our watch, is to reclaimamerican memory and identity and thereby keep therepublic!

to m Wa l K e rFounder and CEO,American VillageCitizenship Trust

On the following pages I have outlined adozen recommendations I believe we mustpursue to begin to reclaim American memoryand identity and revitalize our civic life.

• Renew our own personal commitment to serve as a good citizen - as a keeper of the Republic

• Strengthen the home as a place to nurture good citizenship

• Give children the gift of reading

• Help young people make a personal connection to history

• Advocate the teaching of American history and civics as a vital part of an American education

• Give young people meaningful opportunities and real experiences to build and demonstrate their skills as good citizens and leaders

• Acknowledge our debt of gratitude to those who serve to keep our country free

• Rediscover America’s national treasures and celebrate important national holidays

• Join hands with other Americans and build stronger communities

• Renew the foundation of American national character

• Proudly acknowledge that we share the name American

• Hold a “supper table summit” for America

THE PLEDGE TO KEEP THE REPUBLIC

I PLEDGE TO KEEP THE REPUBLIC; TO STEWARD THE SACRED FIRE OF LIBERTY; TO CHERISH AND PROMOTE

PUBLIC REGARD FOR THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, AND

THE BILL OF RIGHTS AS AMERICA’S CHARTERS OF FREEDOM; TO REMEMBER, RESPECT AND HONOR THOSE

IN EVERY GENERATION WHO HAVE SERVED AND SACRIFICED FOR THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM; AND TO

PROUDLY AND HONORABLY BEAR THE NAME AMERICAN.


let each of us accept individually our personal responsibility to our nation. let us together be the “we” in “Wethe people” and devote an appropriate amount of our time and talent fulfilling the highest office in america: thatof citizen.

reneW our oWn Personal commitment to serVeas a good citiZen – as a KeePer oF tHe rePublic.

if our nation’s well-being rests on good citizens, we should renew the ideathat home is the best place where good citizenship is first introduced andnurtured.

at its best, home should be the place where a child finds unconditional love.likewise, home should be the place where a child learns self-respect, respectfor others, faith, good citizenship and love of country.

one can be a good citizen without home providing this foundation. but ournation stands to benefit if more homes nurture good citizenship.


strengtHen tHe Home as a Placeto nurture good citiZensHiP.

Two young visitors to theAmerican Village


read to children when they are veryyoung and read with them as they learn toread. later talk with them about whatthey read.

give them good books with interestingstories that help tell the stories ofamerica, its ideals, and its people. thejourney for american independence,liberty, and equality is marked by thegripping stories of people in everygeneration.

reading is a gateway of discovery tothese people, places, and ideas. readinghistory gives life and insight to the past,and helps young people discover theircountry.

giVe cHildren tHe giFt oF reading.

American Village educational programs and historical interpretations encourage reading.


create opportunities for young people to connectwith history.

it can start by helping a child answer thequestion “Who am i?” create a simple familychart or photo album just for the child. togetherthe pictures help a young child understand his orher own history.

create a comfortable setting for a child to ask agrandparent or older adult about how it waswhen they grew up. Help them discover storiesof other family members.

in time add stamps, photos or post cards ofhistorical places, coins, or other symbols of ourcountry. encourage them to write or tell a fewsentences about places they have visited. Helpthem begin to answer: “Who are we together asamericans ?”

History is our story.

HelP young PeoPle maKea Personal connection to History.

Through school programs at theAmerican Village, students areintroduced to figures fromAmerica’s past, helping themanswer the question “Who am I?”


adVocate tHe teacHing oF american History and ciVicsas a Vital Part oF an american education.

every country that wants to prosper financially understandsthe necessity of teaching mathematics and science. but anamerican education requires more; we are preparing youngpeople to be citizens, their own self-governors.

citizens are protective of their inherent right to give “consent”to be governed. they value the founding principles ofconstitutional self-government and liberty. thomas Jeffersondeclared that in these matters “if a nation expects to beignorant and remain free, it expects what never was and neverwill be.”

there are at least three imperatives:

• Governing boards and leaders of K-12 and higher educationinstitutions share an obligation to prepare students for theirvital roles as citizens by ensuring teaching of American historyand civics.

this education is not relegated to a single subject or a singlegrade, but is appropriately placed throughout the curriculum,from pre-K through college.

students should be increasingly familiar with america’s idealsand with the founding documents that are the basis of ournation, including: the declaration of independence,constitution, and bill of rights; the discourses, speeches, andwritings relating to the american experience; as well asprimary source materials relating to the form, purpose, andfunctions of the institutions of free society. moreover bythinking, writing, and speaking, they should acquire andpractice the requisite skills to engage effectively as citizensand leaders in such a society.

• We should strengthen the pre-service preparation and in-service professional development and support of goodteachers.

the best and most passionate educators have great familiarity with theirsubjects. they find challenging ways to engage their students. Futureteachers of american history, civics, and government should hold degrees in

Students and educators are offeredopportunities for personal andprofessional development at theAmerican Village.


their teaching fields. also, future and current teachersshould have opportunities for high quality professionaldevelopment in both content and effective teachingstrategies.

• We should recognize that civic learning also happensoutside the classroom.

if we aspire to teach the principles of good citizenship,of acting responsibly in a system of self-government,then our homes and our society should model what wewant our children to learn. learning takes place byinteraction: accompanying a parent or guardian to thepolls, reviewing news stories, gathering petitions orwriting a letter to the editor, volunteering in a politicalcampaign, engaging in community service,corresponding or talking with a public official,participating in observances of national holidays andevents, or by a host of other ways.

We should also recognize the value of supplementingclassroom instruction by visits to places which capture

the interests, attention, and enthusiasm of students while conveying contentrelated to the courses of study.

Through the work of passionatestaff, students at the AmericanVillage are acquiring andpracticing the skills they need tobe good citizens.

one of the most off-putting things adults do is totell young people “you are the future citizens andleaders of our country.” in fact, our students arecitizens and leaders now through theirexperiences in everyday life.

let us not defer their becoming participants inthe civic well-being of their schools, ourcommunities and nation. We must find ways tomake that happen.

We will well serve our country by working withyoung people to create authentic ways in whichthey contribute to the keeping of the republic --right now -- in their homes, schools, churches,youth organizations and communities.


giVe young PeoPle meaningFul oPPortunities andreal exPeriences to build and demonstrate tHeir

sKills as good citiZens and leaders.

Members of the Lt. Gen.Hal Moore LeadershipAcademy are recognizedat a 2010 convocation atthe American Village.

Students participate in a mock election at the Alabama State Capitolthrough one of the American Village’s educational programs.

the fundamental lesson of liberty is that freedomis not free. it has been purchased at a high costand hence should be deeply regarded.there are millions of american veterans – eachone a person, with a name, a family, a story –who have safeguarded our country and itsfreedom. and even now, american volunteers arein our country’s military service stationed aroundthe globe. many are in combat zones in harm’sway. all of them bear the heavy responsibility ofsafeguarding freedom.

americans share the duty and privilege to knowthem, respect them, thank them, and honor themfor their service and sacrifice. and we also oweour thanks and support to their families andloved ones of those who have served andsacrificed.


acKnoWledge our debt oF gratitude to tHose WHoserVe to KeeP our country Free.

Active military, veterans and their families are thanked at Memorial Day andVeterans Day commemorations at the American Village, and everyIndependence Day celebration includes special salutes to America’s veterans.

rediscoVer america’s national treasures andcelebrate imPortant national Holidays.

all across america there are important historical parks and sites thattell the stories of our nation and its people. there are places thatshowcase the grandeur of america. When we visit these places withschool or other groups or with our families, we find renewal of ournational pride and spirit.

there’s something extraordinary about standing on a blood-stainedbattlefield where patriots gave their lives for liberty or leaving a flagat a veteran’s grave at a national cemetery. there’s somethingpowerful about walking where america’s “heroes among us” livedand made their contributions to the nation as pioneers, inventors,advocates, entrepreneurs, protectors, healers, educators or in manyother fields of honorable service.

Whether we tour the hallowed rooms of independence Hall inPhiladelphia, see the play 1776! on a theatre stage, or debate the

constitution at the american Village before a replica ofthe rising sun chair, we become participants in theamerican story.

When we salute the flag, say the Pledge of allegiance, orcelebrate independence day as our country’s birthday ortake time to commemorate other national holidays, webecome part of important “civic rituals” that renew thetimeless values of america.



Join Hands WitH otHer americansand build stronger communities.

in the early 1830s the Frenchman alexis de tocqueville traveled to the unitedstates and marveled that americans joined in voluntary association with eachother to address problems. He noted:

Americans of all ages, all conditions, and all dispositions constantly formassociations. They have not only commercial and manufacturingcompanies, in which all take part, but associations of a thousand otherkinds, religious, moral, serious, futile, general or restricted, enormous ordiminutive. The Americans make associations to give entertainments, tofound seminaries, to build inns, to construct churches, to diffuse books, tosend missionaries to the antipodes; in this manner they found hospitals,prisons, and schools. If it is proposed to inculcate some truth or to fostersome feeling by the encouragement of a great example, they form asociety. Wherever at the head of some new undertaking you see thegovernment in France, or a man of rank in England, in the United Statesyou will be sure to find an association.

I met with several kinds of associations in Americaof which I confess I had no previous notion; and Ihave often admired the extreme skill with whichthe inhabitants of the United States succeed inproposing a common object for the exertions of agreat many men and in inducing them voluntarilyto pursue it.

increasingly many such associations are now strainedby diminished memberships and by the rise of ad-hoc,single-purpose, and limited-duration volunteerism. yetthe need remains for sustained civic engagement. Howwill america respond?

much as neighbors of old would join hands in ahouse- or barn-“raising” may we join hands in ourcommunities and across the country to advance thewell-being of our nation and its citizens.


reneW tHe Foundation oF american national cHaracter.

george Washingtonand other foundersshared a view that thenew nation needed toforge a nationalcharacter or a type ofcivic virtue that wouldbe distinctive of andguide a free americaand its people.

While respectingfreedom ofconscience,Washington also feltthat “religion andmorality” were“essential” to a freepeople and self-government.

such nationalcharacter or civicvirtues would guide

america’s public affairs, foreign relations, commerce, and private life.

the national commission on civic renewal spoke of this in its reportpreviously referenced in this journal. it said, “the defense of liberty requiresmore than the pursuit of happiness.”

in today’s culture marked in some ways by the cult of celebrity, pursuit ofpersonal immediate and material gratification, even the mention of somethinglike “civic virtue” can sound foreboding and raise eyebrows.

integrity, ethical behavior, promotion of the common good, shared values ofliberty, equality, and justice and respect of the rule of law, all are some of theelements of civic virtue or american character. they merit renewed emphasis.


Proudly acKnoWledgetHat We sHare tHe name american.

in the name american we find our national identity, memory, and unity. george Washington,father of our country, spoke candidly:

Citizens by birth or choice of a common country, that country has a right to concentrateyour affections. –

The name of AMERICAN, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must alwaysexalt the just pride of Patriotism…

We are reminded through an array of media of the many ways in which americans are divided.

yet after 9/11, we saw a resurgence of patriotism, a reminder that first and foremost, we cametogether acknowledging that we are free americans, blessed by our shared heritage andnational identity, and prepared to safeguard and defend our country.

even in the vigorous exercise of our political processes, may we be reminded again of ouroverarching national unity and purpose, our kinship with one another as americans.


Hold a “suPPer table summit” For america.

We go about busyeveryday lives withfew opportunities toengage in meaningfuldiscussions withfamily, friends, orcolleagues about ournational life togetheras citizens.

if we have suchconversations,typically they maycenter on the politicalchoices of a comingelection.

What if we took thetime to talk about thelong-view and asked:

just how well are we taking care of our country and what are ways inwhich we as citizens can make a difference?

in his farewell address, President ronald reagan said,

And let me offer lesson number one about America: All great change inAmerica begins at the dinner table. So, tomorrow night in the kitchen Ihope the talking begins.

Wherever that talking occurs – at a shared meal, around the water coolerat work, over coffee, at a church or community center or a youth sportsevent, in the car – each of us can help start that conversation. let us takea few minutes to talk about our country and how we as citizens can“keep” our republic. america will be better for it.

We invite you to share with us your recommendations to reclaim American memory and identity. Send your ideas to [email protected].

©2012 am e r i c a n Vi l l a g eci t i Z e n s H i P tr u s t

P.o. bo x 6mo n t e Va l l o, al 35115

(205) 665-3535W W W.a m e r i c a n V i l l a g e.o r g

to m Wa l K e rcH i e F ex e c u t i V e oF F i c e r

de s i g n e d a n d P r o d u c e d b yme l a n i e Po o l e

PH o to g r a P H y o n b e H a l F o Ft H e am e r i c a n Vi l l a g e b y:

ro b i n co o P e r, Fo to W e r K s cu s to mPH o to g r a P H y, ma r s H a l l go g g i n s,

gr a n t mi l l e r, a n d me l a n i e Po o l e.ot H e r i m a g e s a r e i n t H e P u b l i c

d o m a i n o r u s e d W i t H P e r m i s s i o n.

Pr i n t e d i n t H e usa

�2012 am e r i c a n Vi l l a g e

ci t i Z e n s H i P tr u s t bo a r d o F tr u s t e e s

Vaughan I. Morrissette, Board ChairDr. Cathy J. Randall, Board Deputy Chair

and Chair-ElectJohn P. (Pat) Kelly, Board Treasurer

Honorable Tom Butler, Immediate Past Board ChairTom Walker, President and Ex Officio Board Secretary

andTrustees Carol Brown, Fred Crawford,

Honorable Bobby Hayes, Col. (Ret.) Roosevelt Lewis, Gordon Martin, Bill Stephens, Robin Stone, Connie Walden,

Honorable Cam Ward, Dr. Dewey White, Frank Wilkes, and Donna Williams.

nat i o n a l ad V i s o rHonorable Mary A. Bomar

�The views and opinions expressed in thisJournal are those of the authors and do notnecessarily reflect those of the Trust.

american Village

LIBERTYJOURNAL

_____________________________________________________

The Journal of the American Village Citizenship Trust_____________________________________________________

c o n s t i t u t i o n d ay 2 0 1 2

mission & goals

tHe american Village citiZensHiP trust is a unique national educational

institution WHose mission is to strengtHen and reneW tHe Foundations oF

liberty and selF-goVernment by engaging and insPiring citiZens and leaders.in Pursuit oF tHis mission, tHe trust Focuses on FiVe goals:

• teacHing youtH america’s legacy oF liberty

• remembering tHe Price oF liberty

• Promoting Public regard For tHe constitution and

america’s cHarters oF Freedom

• engaging citiZens and leaders in tHe steWardsHiP oF liberty

• uniting americans as “KeePers oF tHe rePublic“

tHe american Village citiZensHiP trust is a 501(c)(3) nonProFit organiZation

Headquartered on a 183-acre camPus in monteVallo, alabama Just soutH oF

birmingHam. We grateFully acKnoWledge giFts oF time, talent and treasure

in suPPort oF tHe educational mission oF tHe trust.

american Village citiZensHiP trustPost oFFice box 6

monteVallo, alabama 35115(205) 665-3535 • 1-877-811-1776

WWW.americanVillage.org

explanation of images

Documents