For 2026, you should make a resolution to know the Revolution

New Year's Day 2026 kicks disconnected the 250th twelvemonth of the United States of America. Our nation's founders planted the archetypal effect of liberty connected July 4, 1776, erstwhile they adopted the Declaration of Independence. This azygous enactment started our sovereign nation. 

I started falling successful emotion with existent stories from our nation's founding epoch astir 20 years ago. An exertion astatine AMG publishing asked maine to constitute a publication for their series, "Battlefields and Blessings." Because they had already published a 365-day devotional astir the Civil War, they encouraged maine to take different conflict, specified arsenic World War II oregon the American Revolution.  

I dove into writing "Stories of Faith and Courage from the Revolutionary War." I was besides large astatine the time, but was soon enactment connected furniture remainder aft processing preterm contractions. As it turned out, furniture remainder allowed maine plentifulness of clip to research, deliberation and constitute earlier I safely delivered my mediate son.  

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As I started researching, I was skeptical. Was George Washington overrated? Are stories from 1776 applicable to beingness today? How tin we subordinate to radical who lived 250 years ago?  

George Washington, representation coating by Constable-Hamilton, 1794. From the New York Public Library. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

I realized that exertion changes, but the quality bosom does not change. The request for love, acceptance and state transcends time, whether we thrust a Tesla oregon a horse-drawn carriage.  

I cannot explicate however transformative studying the American Revolution was for me. It wholly changed my knowing of what the United States is each astir and however it came to be. As a erstwhile White House staffer for President George W. Bush, I thought I knew capable astir our state and its principles. But I was humbled by the founders’ words. 

Early successful my research, I made a important decision. I prioritized archetypal sources, specified arsenic letters, diaries and first-hand accounts, alternatively than the enactment of modern historians. I wanted to gully my ain conclusions without being tainted. 

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Instead of uncovering Washington overrated, I developed a heavy respect and appreciation for his selfless enactment style. We would not person won our independency from England if it had not been for Gen. Washington's strength, resolution, perseverance, religion and humility. Washington did not question glory for himself. Rather, helium prioritized his army's needs and the American radical implicit idiosyncratic accolades. 

Likewise, Washington was not a static character. He grew and changed. For example, helium transformed from being calved arsenic a enslaved proprietor into dying arsenic an emancipator. Because of the warfare and his presidency, helium wrestled with the realization that slavery was incongruent with the founding of the state that helium had led. For astir of his life, it was amerciable to escaped slaves successful Virginia. When helium returned location and retired, helium had clip to reflect. He stopped buying and selling slaves. Then helium freed his slaves successful his will, which was published successful its entirety successful newspapers crossed the federation aft his abrupt decease successful 1799, little than 3 years aft his presidency. Americans knew that Washington had freed his slaves. 

Why does Washington oregon America 250 substance successful 2026? Only 13% of our nation's 8th graders are proficient successful American history. This is arsenic scandalous arsenic it is scary, a blinking reddish motion that thing is precise wrong. 

Our civilization is malnourished due to the fact that of caller leftist propaganda that has demonized humanities figures, torn down oregon vandalized their statues and canceled them astatine the altar of governmental correctness. 

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We are starving. We agelong to digest steadfast perspectives astir our past and our culture. No 1 live contiguous should beryllium fearful oregon hopeless astir their aboriginal based connected the sins successful America's past. Rather, we request to thatch past some inspirationally and truthfully.  

I prioritized archetypal sources, specified arsenic letters, diaries and first-hand accounts, alternatively than the enactment of modern historians. I wanted to gully my ain conclusions without being tainted. 

My privation for my chap Americans is that they volition instrumentality immoderate clip this twelvemonth to observe stories from our nation's founding. Make it a New Year's solution to bash astatine slightest 1 happening related to the American Revolution. Watch abbreviated videos, documentaries and movies. Attend museums and section celebrations successful your metropolis oregon state. Watch humanities reenactments. Choose to work astatine slightest 1 publication astir the Revolutionary War. I person astir 20 books successful the marketplace, including 4 astir the American Revolution, for some adults and children. I person besides recorded respective America 250 videos connected TikTok and YouTube done America250Jane.  

One of the champion movies that captures this tone of liberty is called "The American Miracle." Available through AmericanMiraclemovie.com, this is an inspirational docudrama that I was grateful to enactment successful arsenic an on-camera storyteller. This fascinating movie shows galore miraculous moments during the American Revolution. It besides champions a steadfast position by revealing the heroics of Black Americans from this era.

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We request to retrieve the words of President Washington arsenic helium said farewell to America successful 1796, erstwhile helium declined to tally for reelection. Washington encouraged his chap Americans to presumption differences successful their religion, manners, habits and governmental principles arsenic "slight." He did not privation their differences to beryllium stumbling blocks to their unity. He believed that "the independency and liberty you person are the enactment of associated councils, and associated efforts—of communal dangers, sufferings and successes." After all, Americans had "fought and triumphed together" successful a communal purpose.  

He wrote: "Citizens by commencement oregon choice, of a communal country, that state has a close to ore your affections. The sanction of AMERICAN, which belongs to you, successful your nationalist capacity, indispensable ever exalt the conscionable pridefulness of patriotism, much than immoderate appellation [name] derived from section discriminations [states and cities]."

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If Washington were live today, helium would accidental the aforesaid happening to us, the unborn millions to travel arsenic helium called us. 

We request to retrieve that our founders planted the effect of liberty 250 years agone connected July 4, 1776, not a afloat grown tree. Despite taste thorns, droughts and floods, the effect of liberty has grown and flowered implicit the years, starring to this historical caller year. Our occupation is to not simply observe this twelvemonth but to nourish emotion of state successful our civilization truthful our descendants tin observe 250 years from now.  

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