Wear a patriotic shirt, salute the American flag, purchase sparklers, eat hot dogs, and watch The Patriot.
Done.
Except…we can do better than that.
As we discussed in part one of this series last week, the American Semiquincentennial (July 4, 2026) calls for a celebration of the long journey that has led us to this unique historical milestone, for if we forget our past, we will be directionless for the future. Blasting Fireworks by Katy Perry won’t do.
If you want to celebrate Independence Day like a true, red-blooded patriot, that is, if you want to celebrate the enduring principles behind the Declaration of Independence, you’ve come to the right place. Beginning this 4th of July and continuing through next year’s 250th celebration, we invite you to inoculate your kids against anti-American indoctrination by reengaging them with the story of the American Revolution. In the words of Convention of States’ patron saint, George Mason, “[N]o free government, or the blessing of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by … frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.” If that sounds dry and boring to you, here are five ways to make it come to life!
SEE ALSO: Proclamation 4411
13 Stones
Most of us probably know that the United States originally consisted of 13 colonies that separated from Great Britain. However, we often struggle to remember the identity of those 13 states (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia). Following the example of the Israelites, who carried 12 stones (one for each tribe of Israel) to memorialize how God had parted the Jordan River for them (Joshua 4), we can teach our kids (and ourselves) about the American Revolution by collecting 13 stones to commemorate the 13 original colonies. Decorate each stone with that state’s flag, or write the names of prominent Founding Fathers who came from that state. Consider stacking the rocks on your front porch to remind your kids, neighbors, and the Amazon delivery man of the brave patriots who shook off the chains of British tyranny.
4th of July Feast
The purpose of the Passover Feast, instituted in the 12th chapter of Exodus, was to remind the Jewish people of their independence from Egyptian slavery and to help them pass that story down to future generations. This year, rather than settling for the basics — hot dogs, hamburgers, watermelon, check — why not upgrade your 4th of July barbecue to a memorial feast structured around the story of American Independence? Read portions of the Declaration of Independence or Independence Day speeches (Samuel Adams’ “On American Independence,” Frederick Douglass’s “What to the slave is the 4th of July?”, Calvin Coolidge’s Address at the Celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence). Recount famous Revolutionary War-Era quotes (even the apocryphal ones) — “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately”; “THESE are the times that try men’s souls”; “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”; “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” The point is not to turn dinner into a lecture about history but to breathe new life into our study of the past. Yesterday’s heroes risked their lives for our liberty and well-being; it’s only fitting that we remember and appreciate them.
SEE ALSO: "Great attention was given to every word"
Memorize
Last year for 4th of July I challenged my pre-teen cousin to memorize Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. He succeeded! Starting this 4th of July, set memorization goals for your family to finish by next year. Can you memorize Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” (or at least a portion of it; it’s likely longer than you remember!), “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, the entirety of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the preamble of the Declaration of Independence, or — if you’re feeling ambitious — Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death” speech? Issue the challenge to your friends and family and offer a prize to whoever can be the first to finish the goal.
Road Trip
O beautiful for spacious skies
For amber waves of grain
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America is truly a beautiful country. But, as Jimmy Stewart’s character reminds us in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, “Boys forget what their country means by just reading ‘the land of the free’ in history books. … Liberty’s too precious a thing to be buried in books.” That’s why you should consider taking a good old-fashioned family road trip next year for the Semiquincentennial! Between national parks and historical monuments, there’s no shortage of sights to see across this great land: Mount Rushmore, Route 66, the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Iowa State Fair, General Grant National Memorial, the Statue of Liberty, Independence Hall, Colonial Williamsburg, the Freedom Trail in Boston, Plymouth Plantation, the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the list is nearly endless. Additionally, did you know that the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is slated to open next year on the 4th of July? If ever there was an American hero who could open our kids’ eyes to the wonder of history, it’s Teddy!
Recreate the Revolution
If you have kids who love telling stories or putting on shows, encourage them to write, produce, and star in a play or musical recreating key events from the American Revolution: the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s midnight ride, the signing of the Declaration, the crossing of the Delaware, etc. Once they’re ready, invite neighbors, uncles, aunts, and grandparents to watch the world premiere. Or, if they’re more artistically creative, ask them to illustrate a book depicting the road to Independence. The point is to engage them with something they’re already interested in, using their unique talents to tell the American story.
The upcoming year is a big deal in the life of a nation; let’s make the most of every opportunity to reignite passion for the Glorious Fourth and teach the rising generation about America’s fundamental principles. Additionally, if you want to make the Founders proud, please consider signing the COS petition for an Article V convention below to rein in the federal government and recapture the spirit of 1776!
