Independent historical/civic site. Not official and not affiliated with America250, the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, or the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center.
76

The Spirit of ’76

An independent historical and civic guide to America’s 250th anniversary
For classrooms and civic groups

Education center

The 250th anniversary is a strong excuse to teach primary-source literacy, civic vocabulary, and historical disagreement without turning the site into a partisan argument.

Lesson modules

Read the Declaration

Students identify claims, grievances, and the final declaration of independence.

Symbols of memory

Compare how Americans used Revolutionary imagery in 1876, 1976, and 2026.

Local history

Ask what local people, roads, churches, farms, ports, or militias existed during the Revolution.

Rights vocabulary

Define equality, consent, representation, rights, grievance, independence, and self-government.

Primary-source habits

  • Who created the source?
  • When was it created?
  • Who was the audience?
  • What was the purpose?
  • What does it say directly?
  • What does it leave out?