FORUM: 1776. Views from the British World: Teaching the Declaration of Independence as Imperial History

Timed to coincide with the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence that launched a revolution that created the United States of America, this series of articles complicates traditional narratives of this transformative event by situating it within a larger British world context. Debates surrounding mandated instruction in the origin of the United States have reemerged in recent years. This article discusses teaching the Declaration of Independence as imperial history. It evaluates how mandates like the one in my state—Nevada—to teach “devotion to American institutions and ideals” through exploring “the origin and history” of Constitutional government have fared in the actual classroom. It considers the importance of embracing both the complexity and nuance of the story of the founding of the United States in today's divisive political climate.