“250 Years and Counting: Why America Must Remember to Endure
- Dallas Reese
- Apr 30
- 11 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
"When History Fades, Freedom Falls"
History education in America is in crisis, and the tragedy is that it's a crisis of our own making. We've raised a generation that sees itself as so enlightened and forward-thinking that it believes the past is irrelevant. As a result, most people under 40 can't even identify the century in which the American Revolution was fought, much less understand the critical significance of America's founding. This lack of knowledge isn't just an unfortunate accident; it's the product of a long-standing failure in how history is taught, manipulated, and, in some cases, outright erased.
A Cato Institute national survey from July of 2024 finds that only 76% of Americans have a favorable opinion of the founding of the United States, and 59% feel "gratitude" about what the Declaration eventually secured. However, Americans fear that the freedoms made possible by the American founding are at risk. Nearly three-fourths (74%) of Americans worry that we could lose our freedoms in this country if we're not careful. The Cato Institute's survey findings reveal a paradox in how Americans view their history and future. On the bright side, 76% of Americans still favor the nation's founding, and 59% express gratitude for the freedoms the Declaration of Independence secured. Yet, beneath this patriotic sentiment lies deep concern—nearly three-fourths (74%) of Americans fear that we could lose the liberties that define our nation if we're not vigilant.
This pessimistic attitude is not unfounded. Our collective fading grip on historical understanding, the increasing loss of civic discourse, and the weaponization of history for ideological battles all contribute to a growing sense that America is under threat. People recognize freedom is not self-sustaining; it requires knowledge, vigilance, and an informed citizenry willing to defend it.
These statistics tell me we urgently need Americans to reconnect with our history—not just because it's important but because we need understanding to guide our collective future. If we fail to remember how and why our freedoms were won, we risk losing them to complacency, ignorance, and the relentless forces of revisionism that seem so prevalent over the past 30-40 years.
But let's be honest—this isn't a brand-new problem. History has always been subject to the biases of those who tell it. The old saying goes, "The victors write history," or more plainly, "The victor will always be the judge, and the vanquished the accused." There's truth in that. Those in power have often defined or explained the historical narratives to fit their agendas. They will conveniently leave out inconvenient details, downplay motivations, or emphasize only the parts of the story they want to be remembered. Today's difference is that instead of simply shaping history, many in the modern academic world are trying to dismantle it altogether, reducing it to nothing more than a list of grievances, power struggles, and shame.
So what can we do? This melting pot of people with wildly different beliefs, cultures, and traditions who say they believe in our country, yet, on the other hand, feel it is on the verge of falling apart, shows the fundamental tension in our national identity. E Pluribus Unum, our national motto since 1787, says, "out of many one", but that requires many compromises. Yet the country has endured for almost 250 years. While most Americans respect and appreciate the country's origins, they increasingly feel those foundations are under attack, which runs both ways, on the left, right, and in the middle of the political spectrum.
The Fragility of Freedom
The concern that 74% of Americans express—that we could lose our freedoms if we're not careful—is not alarmist; it's historically based. Every great civilization that has fallen did so not through sudden collapse but through gradual erosion—the erosion of civic knowledge, personal responsibility, moral character, and respect for the foundational principles that held it together. The Founders themselves understood this danger. John Adams famously wrote that the Constitution was made for a "moral and religious people" and would be "wholly inadequate" for any other. In other words, freedom without virtue is unsustainable.
An example of turning from the past that I always go back to, because it frightens me, is that this could happen to us in America: Rome, circa 400-476 AD.
In the 4th century, the Roman education system had deteriorated, particularly in the western
Provinces. The focus on civic education, understanding Roman law, governance, and the republican virtues that once defined Roman citizenship diminished as the empire became more autocratic under later emperors.
In The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776–1789), historian Edward Gibbon notes that the average Roman citizen became increasingly apathetic toward public affairs
lacking the knowledge to engage meaningfully in governance.
Citizens no longer understood or valued the principles of Roman governance, such as the rule of law and the importance of a balanced constitution, making them less likely to resist corruption or tyranny. The foundational principles of Rome—republican virtues like virtus (courage), pietas (duty to family and state), and fides (loyalty)—were eroded as the empire prioritized expansion and imperial power over civic integrity. Once a cornerstone of Roman governance, the Senate became a ceremonial body under emperors like Diocletian and Constantine, who centralized power. The consequences of Roman's not caring about the past were devastating. The erosion of these qualities left Rome vulnerable to internal decay and external threats. The empire faced economic collapse, with inflation and a debased currency exacerbating inequality. Does this sound familiar? Once a disciplined force, the military became reliant on mercenaries who lacked loyalty to Rome, as noted by historian Arther Ferrill in The Fall of the Roman Empire: The Military Explanation (1986).
Barbarian invasions, such as the Visigoths’ sack of Rome in 410 A.D. and the Vandals’ in 455 A.D., were symptoms of this decline rather than the sole cause. The final blow came in 476 A.D., when Odoacer deposed Romulus Augustulus, ending the Western Roman Empire. This gradual decline, driven by the loss of civic knowledge, responsibility, morality, and respect for principles, mirrors my warning about the fragility of freedom. We must stay vigilant. Complacency and a lack of concern will kill off our government, our country, and our way of life. I submit that America is the greatest country and government in the history of the world because of our freedoms.
Today, erasing civic and historical knowledge is one of the most pressing threats to freedom. People ignorant of history are easily swayed by ideology, manipulation, and revisionism. They lose sight of the principles that make America unique—self-governance, personal liberty, and the rule of law—and begin to see freedom not as a responsibility but as an entitlement granted (or revoked) by the government.
The Weaponization of History
History should be a tool for learning, not for advancing political agendas. Yet, in recent decades, history has been rewritten, reduced, or reframed to fit ideological narratives—often at the expense of truth. Many educational institutions no longer teach a balanced perspective on America's past. Instead, American history is frequently presented as a list of grievances, injustices, and failures. Yet, at the same time, little attention was given to the triumphs, innovations, and sacrifices that built the nation.
This approach is purely revisionist; it only breeds resentment and division. Kids today are growing up hating America, feeling a sense of shame and cynicism over the past. Judging historical figures by modern moral standards (presentism) is flawed, as all people, past and present, are subject to the same human condition. Sources are selected to either explicitly or implicitly support this view by focusing on universal human imperfection or defending historical actions within their context. It teaches younger generations to see their country, the supposedly United States of America, as shameful rather than worth preserving. It shifts the focus away from the ideals that have made America a beacon of hope and highlights nothing but its shortcomings, many of which, ironically, were addressed precisely because of the principles enshrined at its founding. And as we have seen through the 19th and 20th centuries, even though it took a long time, many of the early mistakes of the American Revolution and the government that followed have been corrected. Among these issues were slavery, women's right to vote, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These moves restored the true meaning of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution that followed in 1787. But don't be deceived, corruption, evil, bias, and other sordid behaviors have always been a part of our country and will always be. Why? Human sin. It's simple: we are sinful and need repentance and the saving grace of Jesus Christ because of our unworthiness and the evil in all our hearts. If more people understood this principle, there wouldn't be so much guilt about a past we can't control, change, and should never forget.
The Cost of Forgetting
The loss of historical knowledge is not just an academic issue—it has consequences for everyday life. A population disconnected from its history is easier to control, divide, and manipulate. If Americans do not know what their rights are or where those rights came from, they will not know when they are being taken away. Do you want an example of historical ignorance causing this? Look no further than Germany, circa 1919-1933. After World War I, the Weimar Republic faced immense challenges: economic instability, political polarization, and widespread disillusionment. Many Germans, especially the younger generations and those affected by the war's aftermath, were disconnected from the deeper historical democratic principles. Essential principles like individual rights, the rule of law, and civic responsibility, these same principles underpin American society and are why we have sustained our system for these 250 years. These principles, inspired by Enlightenment ideas and earlier European political traditions, were relatively new in Germany's democracy. The lack of widespread understanding of these principles' origins and importance left the population vulnerable to manipulation by extremist groups--and we're talking about the Nazi party. The Nazis exploited historical ignorance to rewrite narratives, control public perception, and dismantle rights. Adolph Hitler was brilliant but in a bad way. He destroyed a society and caused the death of millions of Jews and Germans in the resulting war, which he got the country into. The rise of the Nazi party was the price for an ignorant population. It was horrendous.
Consider this: If people today are unfamiliar with the ideas in the Declaration of Independence—the belief that our rights come from God, not government—then they are more likely to accept the notion that government is the ultimate authority over their lives. I repeat, our rights come from God, not the government. The government does not rule your life. It is a servant of the people, by the people, and for the people. We have the power to change it. We all must remain vigilant and use that individual power on behalf of the collective. If people do not understand the Constitution's safeguards against tyranny, they will not recognize when those safeguards are being dismantled. Safeguarding against tyranny is why historical literacy is not just an academic pursuit—it's a national security issue.
People who do not know their history are doomed to repeat its worst mistakes. I have preached this mantra to anyone who will listen for most of my life because I have been obsessed with history since childhood. This is not just because I love American history, but also because I understand the adage of American philosopher and poet George Santayana. It is one of my favorite quotes of all time. The source of the original quote appears in his work The Life of Reason: Reason in Common Sense (1905), where he wrote: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Why is this one of my favorite secular quotes? Simple, because it's true and it's provable throughout history.
Reclaiming Our History
The good news is that many Americans still cherish their history. Despite the revisionist trends in education, the relentless attacks on the founding, and political polarization, most Americans still believe in the fundamental goodness of the nation's origins. I, for one, sure do and am trying to teach my seven children those critical tenets. That belief, however, must be accompanied by action.
If we want to preserve freedom, we must first understand it. That means:
Teaching history honestly, not ideologically. This will require acknowledging the past's flaws and greatness. We must present the entire picture and not just focus on the bad.
Encouraging critical thinking—helping students analyze history in its full complexity rather than memorizing politically convenient narratives. Of course, greed, self-interest, and desire also play roles in their lives and decisions. These traits, or, in theological terms, sin, will be actual for all humanity now and in the future. Most people don't take the time to think about the motivations for their actions. Many people in the past did what they did not want to do, whether by necessity, convention, belief, faith, or the sheer desire to stay alive. This was the case for my 2nd Great Grandfather, James Riley Johnson of South Carolina. His family had no enslaved people and didn't believe in it. However, several years into the Civil War, a conscription act was passed with the threat of arrest or death if all eligible men in the South did not enlist. Out of a sense of duty to his home, his family, and protection, he enlisted and had to fight. So did his brother Randal. Randal died in battle, and James Riley had to bury him in Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina. I know from my grandfather, Russell, that James Riley abhorred slavery and fought because he had to, not because he wanted to. He lost a brother and many friends and relatives to what I believe were needless deaths. Many of the historians of today believe all Southerners died fighting for slavery. That is so far off base for so many.
What would you do if your home were attacked? If you were drafted? Forced to serve on the threat of death or imprisonment? Sometimes, things aren't as clear on the surface as deep down inside. This sidestepping of people's motivations for what they did is a failure of American history classes. Not everyone had the same motivations for what they did. We cannot judge with the lens of the present to pretend to know everything and condemn people. People do what they do often to affect their survival and that of their families, whom they love very much. We cannot sit like Pharisees on some sanctimonious throne of righteousness, acting like we know everything because we're the supposedly highly educated, refined new generation of 2025.
Defending the founding principles—not just with rhetoric, but by living out those values in civic engagement, responsible self-governance, and moral character. Every person should perform some public service in their lives out of respect for our forebears, but also because that's what this country requires. Remember, it's a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
We must do better. We must teach children, adults, and older people about the American Revolution and the events, people, documents, and actions that set this nation on its path to independence. Why? Because the consequences of historical amnesia are far-reaching. A nation that does not know its past cannot understand its present, and people who do not remember where they came from will have no idea where they are going. History isn't just about memorizing dates and battles; it's about understanding the struggles, decisions, and ideas that shaped civilization. It's about learning from triumphs and failures, recognizing human nature's flaws, and grasping why certain principles—like liberty, justice, and self-governance—matter.
As we approach 2026, it is hard to believe, through all the troubles, toils, wars, and strife, that the American experiment has endured for nearly 250 years. July 4, 2026, will be celebrated nationwide with parades, fireworks, and readings of the Declaration of Independence. But as we enjoy what will undoubtedly be a full eight years of remembering between now and 2033, we must not forget nor become complacent about what we have. America is not guaranteed to last another 250 years. It will only survive if the next generations understand why it was worth fighting for in the first place. And that begins with knowing—and defending—the truth about our past.
If we continue to forget our beginnings or do not learn about them, our future will be guided not by wisdom drawn from history but by ignorance, repeating its worst mistakes. So let's not. Let's learn together. The past may be imperfect, but it is essential. We abandon it at our peril.
Dallas Reese
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
May 1, 2025
Here are some excellent links for information on the American celebration of our 250th anniversary.
For a prime example of how ignorant of our history many are, check out this video from Will Witt at Prager U, who went on the street in Washington D.C. to find out just how ignorant Americans are of their history. https://youtu.be/Zy5u2DIA2c8?si=bIHAtL_R64X0IJch
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