The initiative is part of the White House’s preparation for the 250th anniversary of the American Founding.
HILLSDALE, Mich. — Hillsdale College has partnered with the White House Salute to America 250 Task Force and the U.S. Department of Education to produce a new educational video series titled “The Story of America.” The series explores the story of America’s founding, from the first shots at Lexington and Concord to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of a new republic. The most recent video in the series, “The Formation of the Army,” premiered on June 12.
The video features Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth discussing the establishment of America’s Continental Army — a unification of the states in their fight for liberty.
“This year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States Army — a legacy born in turmoil, uncertainty, and nearly insurmountable odds,” Hegseth said. “Two and a half centuries ago, thousands of citizen soldiers answered freedom’s call. At a moment when tyranny tried to dim the spirit of an emerging nation, our first heroes forged an institution whose strength, sacrifice, and enduring resolve have come to define our republic.”
Upcoming lectures include historian and author Walter R. Borneman’s account of the Battle of Bunker Hill, scheduled for release on June 17, the 250th anniversary of the battle; Dr. Larry P. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College, on the “Meaning and Structure of the Declaration;” Lee Habeeb, host of “Our American Stories,” on the founding statesmanship of John Adams; and Dr. Mark David Hall, professor at Regent University’s Robertson School of Government, on the role of religion in the American founding.
Dr. Arnn introduced the series in April with an explanation of the importance of celebrating America’s founding.
“The Declaration of Independence, America’s founding document, is the finest political statement of hope and liberty in history,” said Dr. Arnn. “Next year it and our country will become 250 years old. President Trump and Secretary McMahon are determined to help all Americans remember, understand, and celebrate this unprecedented milestone. They have asked us to help mark the anniversary with fitting explanations of the history and meaning of the document in text, audio, and video. The founders of Hillsdale College joined the cause of Abraham Lincoln in council rooms and on battlefields to rededicate the nation to the Declaration. We are proud of the President and the Secretary for their respect for the Declaration and their determination to honor it, and proud to give every assistance in our power.”
Dr. Wilfred McClay, the Victor Davis Hanson Chair in Classical History and Western Civilization at Hillsdale College, followed with a video commemorating the 250th anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord. The video is available here.
“The deeds of Lexington and Concord exemplify enduring qualities of the character of the American people that will continue to manifest themselves, if we have the willingness to call on those memories, the capacity to respond to darkness with light, to peril with energy and determination, buoyed by the knowledge that others have done these things before us, and in a sense, for us,” McClay said. “What was done before can be done again.”
To watch these and future lectures, click here. For photos from the lectures, click here. For photos of Hillsdale College, click here. For a high-resolution copy of the Hillsdale College clocktower logo, click here.