Thanks to decades of research, we can now catch a glimpse of soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War. Joe Bauman has dedicated his career to collecting daguerreotypes of Revolutionary War veterans.
While the science of photography did not become widespread until the 1850s, the possibility that some Revolutionary War soldiers lived into their 80’s offered hope to Bauman that records of early patriots may exist.
Today, we celebrate the Fourth of July with barbecues, parades, marching bands, and fireworks. But in earlier times, the day was also marked by specially prepared orations that commemorated our founding principles. A wonderful example of this at once celebratory and reflective genre can be found in the present selection, a speech that President Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933) delivered in 1926 in honor of the Declaration’s sesquicentennial.
On July 4, 1776, two days after it adopted the Lee Resolution that declared the united colonies’ independence from Great Britain, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), which explains that decision by “declar[ing] the causes which impel them to the separation.”
Engage your students in a close reading of the Declaration of Independence with the help of these discussion questions from our Independence … Read more »
From our Independence Day ebook: Read these famous songs of the Revolutionary War period, and learn what role music played in the shaping of the country as it evolved from 13 struggling colonies into a nation. Each song selection includes questions for class discussion.
What is the legacy of the Declaration of Independence and its self-evident truths of equal and unalienable rights? Our new ebook, “The Meaning of Independence Day,” explores the history and ideas behind the American Founding and their significance for our present personal freedoms and national flourishing.
Distinguished scholar-teachers Amy and Leon Kass demonstrate how short stories, speeches, and songs can be used to enhance civic education and how a pedagogical approach that stresses learning through inquiry can make primary sources come alive for students of all ages.
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“What a wonderful collection of American songs, speeches, and stories. It should be valuable for teachers, students, parents, and readers of all kinds.”
— Diane Ravitch