As our nation approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, The Heritage Foundation offers a curated collection of publications, historic documents, and videos. These resources are designed to educate citizens about America's founding principles and our government's foundational tenets, equip parents and teachers with resources to use in their classrooms or around their dinner tables, and—most importantly—inspire a love of our great country. 

 

Educate

American Founders: Leaders at the Creation of the Republic: This volume examines the lives, characters, careers, and ideas, as well as selected primary speeches or writings, of sixteen of the leading Americans of the Founding generation.    

The Founders’ Almanac, edited by Matthew Spalding: An easy-to-use guide to the origins of American democracy—focusing on details especially valuable for our day. 

The Essential Declaration of Independence: Helps Americans understand the foundational nature of The Declaration of Independence which confidently announced our separation from Britain and declares our nation’s purpose. 

The Essential Constitution: Helps Americans appreciate the U.S. Constitution and defend its meaning and purpose. 

The Heritage Guide to the Constitution: Intended to provide a brief and accurate explanation of each clause of the Constitution as envisioned by the Framers and as applied in contemporary law. Law students and attorneys, policy makers and ordinary citizens turn to The Heritage Guide for insight into every clause of the most important governing charter in history. 

A Citizen’s Introduction to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, by Matthew Spalding: Examines how the important themes of the Constitution reflect the mandate of the Declaration of Independence, starting with the recognition that the ultimate authority of a legitimate government depends on the consent of a free people.  

The Meaning of American Citizenship, by Carson Holloway: Many today think about American citizenship in terms of ‘rights’ or ‘diversity.’ But a return to the American founding can help disabuse us of such distorted views.  

How to Read the Federalist Papers, by Anthony Peacock: Thomas Jefferson called The Federalist Papers the best commentary on the principles of government ever written. This brief guide provides a road map that illuminates the major issues addressed in the papers explaining their relevance for us today.   

Frederick Douglass’s America: Race, Justice, and the Promise of the Founding, by Peter C. Myers: The American Founders believed in the principle “all men are created equal.” Douglass devoted 54 years of his life to advancing black freedom and equality and he taught fellow blacks to love their country—because its promises extended to them.  

Colonial Capitalism and the American Founding, by Christopher DeMuth: The American founding was a momentous event in the development of modern government and the development of modern capitalism. Our economic founding, however, was more evolutionary than revolutionary.  

“Why the American Founding Matters for American Conservatism”: Examines the claim that American conservatives’ core principles are consistent with the ideas for which Washington, Adams, Madison, and Hamilton were willing to risk so much. 

The President’s Advisory 1776 Commission Report: The Commission presented this first report with the intention of educating Americans—cultivating the principles and history of our nation in the hope that their preservation would lead to a more perfect union.  

We Still Hold These Truths: Rediscovering Our Principles, Reclaiming Our Future, by Matthew Spalding: This best settling book offers a bracing analysis of how and why we have lost our bearings as a nation and lays out the strategy to rescue our future from arbitrary and unlimited government.  

Hillsdale College’s The Great American Story: A Land of Hope Course: This free online course, explores the history of America founded on high principles. Presenting our nation’s great achievements and shortcomings, it offers an unbiased study essential for the intelligent patriotism.   

Hillsdale College’s K-12 U.S. History and Civics Curriculum: This Hillsdale curriculum determines what students should learn in history and civics based on the answers to a single question: What ideas, words, and deeds have most significantly formed the world into which students were born? 

America: The Last Best Hope, by William J. Bennett: This bestselling author captures the players, personalities, and pivotal moments of American history with piercing insight and unrelenting optimism.  

Additional Resources:

• Explore an exhibit on the Constitutional Convention from Teaching American History. 
• Learn more about the life and legacy of George Washington through primary and secondary sources, videos, interactive tools, and podcasts from Mount Vernon.