Looking Forward to the Semiquincentennial (after Looking Up What That Means)

by M.J. Rymsza-Pawlowska

Will the observance of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence be a moment of national unity or the moment when a simmering conflict over the nation's history erupts into open conflict? The key lies in using the commemoration to look forward. 

What You Need to Know about Public Commissions for the Upcoming Semiquincentennial in 2026

by Joseph M. Adelman

Historians who hope to be involved in the commemoration of the nation's 250th anniversary need to be aware of the structure and politics of state and federal commissions established for the semiquincentennial. 

Woody Holton Still Fighting the American Revolution

"I knew history buffs would want a narrative, and I was happy to provide one, since one of my main points is that women’s, Indigenous, military, and all the other histories transpired on the same timeline, constantly influencing each other."

Get Ready Now for the Storm of Takes Coming at America's 250th Birthday

by John Garrison Marks

Major anniversaries tend to crystallize debates about how Americans learn and remember history. America's 250th will follow a presidential election and years of political argument about the teaching of history and make all parties eager to win the symbolic war.

Bouie: The Founders Lived in a Foreign World

Times columnist Jamelle Bouie draws on the work of historians Matt Glassman, Stanley Elkins and Eric McKitrick, and Susan Dunn to argue that the Founders did not, in fact, get it right the first time – even for the society they lived in, let alone for ours.

We, the Nation, Born Under This Tree

by Sean Cleary

A speech of Edward Everett and a painting by N.C. Wyeth create a mythical founding moment of an American nation conceived as a white homeland. 

Why Martha Washington’s Life Is So Elusive to Historians

by Alexis Coe

The popular image of Martha Washington as matronly and austere has suppressed a fuller understanding of the first First Lady as a person rather than a witness to her husband's leadership.

Don't Defend Democracy With Half-Truths About the Past

by Brook Thomas

Although the Capitol riots raised deep concern about the rule of law, there is a deeper challenge ahead of the nation: to understand and change the undemocratic aspects of our foundational law and refuse half-measures in the name of unity.

Historian Corrects Nikki Haley's George Washington Tweet

Historian and Washington biographer Alexis Coe takes apart Nikki Haley's faulty references to George Washington's role in the founding. 

Would the Founders Convict Trump and Bar Him From Office?

by Eli Merritt

"Today’s Republican senators must at least be willing to break with their party and disappoint some of their constituents — and, yes, perhaps lose their jobs in coming elections — to serve the larger interest of protecting the nation."