A day spent gathered with family, friends and neighbors to celebrate Independence Day naturally inspires a swell of patriotic pride among Americans. It’s a moment to consider the bold promises of the nation’s founding and the contributions we can make in our communities to form a more perfect union, as the Constitution urges.
That begins with a greater understanding of the United States itself — its history, its people and its purpose. With the country’s 250th birthday coming in 2026, there’s no better time to cultivate a renaissance of civics education in the hope that it can help bind the nation together in a time of tremendous division.
When the fireworks conclude and the embers of the backyard grill are extinguished, the patriotism that accompanies Independence Day will also ebb. A bitterly contested presidential election awaits, and the campaign to come is more likely to highlight Americans’ differences than our commonalities.
Carving up the electorate is made easier because of a decline in civics education and civic engagement. Instruction about the nation’s history has become partisan and political, and fewer people join community organizations, volunteer in their communities or even know their next-door neighbors.
Without those connections and relationships, Americans are increasingly alienated from one another and less likely than ever to be proud of where they live. New polling from Gallup published this week found only 41% of U.S. adults say they are “extremely proud” to be American, a slight rebound from the 38% who said the same in 2022. An additional 26% said they are “very proud,” and the combined 67% who express pride in this country is among the lowest number recorded by the polling service.
National pride has been in decline since 2015 according to Gallup’s figures. It was at its highest point in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks, when 90% of adults said they were either “extremely proud” or “very proud” to be an American, and reached its lowest point in 2020, when only 63% said the same.
Cynicism is especially high among the youngest eligible voters. According to polling in September by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, a nonpartisan nonprofit based in Princeton, New Jersey, 57% of Americans aged 18-24 expressed dissatisfaction with the U.S. political system and 52% said they “have no or little trust in government institutions.”
Those figures reflect a growing contempt for and distrust of civic institutions. A dysfunctional federal government and a national political system that many believe is broken don’t inspire much confidence among the general public.
That said, this is the moment for a civic renaissance. In only two years, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence will take center stage. Planning is already underway for a grand celebration marking the occasion. Virginia, the birthplace of many of the Founding Fathers, will play a starring role.
It could be that the semiquincentennial, as it’s known, will echo the civic revival that occurred in 1976 as the nation marked its bicentennial. Then, like now, the country’s outlook was grim and Americans’ disenchantment overwhelming, but the bicentennial celebrations lifted the country’s spirits after Watergate.
Could the same happen in the time leading up to 2026? It’s possible.
Virginia already emphasizes civics education in schools and recently completed a comprehensive, albeit controversial, overhaul of history instruction in the commonwealth. The Virginia Museum of History & Culture recently launched an ambitious civics program in advance of the nation’s 250th birthday as well.
Beyond that, though, Americans should divert some of their energy and attention from Washington and focus it back on their communities. The federal government wields considerable influence, but there is so much good to be done here at home, for people in our region who need the help.
Independence Day reminds us of our shared citizenship and the importance of community. Let’s build on that as we look to bridge our divides and fulfill the nation’s promise.
