I have encountered a growing number of people viewing the latest Ken Burns documentary, The American Revolution, who share a common realization: at many points, we find ourselves saying, “I didn't know that!”
Though personally disappointed by the extent of my historical ignorance, I quickly reflected on my own days in public schools. I realized exposing young junior high or high school students to anything but the most cursory detail on historical events would amount to an exercise in futility with a captive but uninterested audience. We fought England for our independence; Paul Revere; the Tea Party; we won. End of lesson.
Yet, as we begin to understand the gravity of the current administration’s efforts to suppress facts about our nation’s history that do not meet their political agenda, I hope we are collectively ready to learn the important lessons we were not told—at a time when we would not have listened or cared.
Mr. Burns’ wonderful work not only gives us the opportunity to realize and value the great efforts it took to codify our rights and freedoms, but comes at a time when these foundational achievements are being systematically ignored and eroded, alongside the Rule of Law and our constitutional checks on authority.
Learning our history will make us better citizens, which is the only path left to helping us “to form a more perfect union.”
– Civis
December 2025
No comments:
Post a Comment