Feature
On July 4, 2026, America will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As this milestone approaches, the team at the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation has curated a collection of books, podcasts, and events that explore the meaning and impact of the declaration from 1776 to today. Join us in revisiting the document itself, reflecting on its legacy, and considering the ongoing struggle to uphold democratic ideals.
By:
Charlie Covit
Dana Guterman
Danielle Allen 
Allen offers a close, philosophical reading of the Declaration of Independence, treating it not just as a historical document but as a living political text. Drawing on her personal experience teaching the declaration, Allen argues that its call for equality and collective agency has critical relevance for 21st-century American civic life.
Jill Lepore 
Lepore offers a sweeping, poignant narrative of American history, centered on the founding ideals of the United States. She argues that the tensions and contradictions around these ideals have shaped the American experiment. These Truths is a critical read for anyone wishing to reflect on how America has redefined itself over 250 years.
Colin Woodard 
Woodard divides North America into 11 distinct cultural regions, positing that these “nations” explain the country’s deep divisions. He explores how centuries-old settlement and development patterns have influenced today’s political, cultural, and ideological divides, offering a historical lens to analyze a polarized modern America that challenges the traditional red-blue understanding.
Gordon S. Wood 
Wood explores the transformative ideas that fueled America’s founding, emphasizing how republicanism and equality reshaped both political theory and everyday life in the early years of the United States. This collection of essays offers unique insight into the nation’s ideological roots, focusing on the foundation of America itself as well as the decades that followed.
Steve Pincus 
Pincus argues that the American Revolution was not just about limiting government but also about creating a proactive state that takes care of its people. By challenging libertarian understandings of America’s founding and the Declaration of Independence, Pincus reclaims them as a call for governance that promotes the common good.
This NPR podcast examines moments from history that can help explain today’s world. Episodes cover topics such as the American Revolution and the Constitution, with the hosts drawing connections to modern American political debates. The podcast is ideal for listeners seeking to understand how history informs American identity and civic life.
This podcast from The Atlantic explores what it means to be American in a time of political and cultural uncertainty, with an emphasis on personal stories that allow for big-picture reflections on national identity. Take a listen if you want a thoughtful, intimate look at America’s past, present, and future.
This multivolume essay series, edited by Yuval Levin, Adam J. White, and John Yoo, studies issues central to the founding era. Convening leading scholars of history, political science, law, and other disciplines, the initiative tackles questions that are key to understanding the American Revolution’s legacy.
Made By Us is a coalition of hundreds of museums and cultural institutions working to engage young Americans in civic life as America approaches its 250th anniversary. They aim to connect historical reflection with active participation through innovative programming across the country, inviting youth to help shape the nation’s future.
America @ 250 is a storytelling initiative leading up to America’s 250th anniversary, aiming to engage the public in conversations about our country’s history, democracy, and national identity. Through documentaries about both American history and modern life across the country, along with a vast array of educational resources, the initiative explores America’s complex past and its implications for the future.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily represent the positions of the Ash Center or its affiliates.
Commentary
Allen Lab Researcher David Riveros Garcia draws on his experience building civic technology to fight corruption in Paraguay to make the case that effective civic technology must include power and collective action in its design.
Additional Resource
In a new essay, The Case for Building an AmeriCorps Alumni Leadership Network, Allen Lab Policy Fellow Sonali Nijhawan argues that the 1.4 million Americans who have completed national service represent an underleveraged civic asset. Drawing on her experience as former Director of AmeriCorps, Nijhawan outlines a roadmap for transforming dispersed alumni into a connected leadership network capable of reinvigorating public service, rebuilding trust in government, and strengthening civic participation.
Additional Resource
Ensuring public opinion and policy preferences are reflected in policy outcomes is essential to a functional democracy. A growing ecosystem of deliberative technologies aims to improve the input-to-action loop between people and their governments.
Feature
Economists and policy analysts broadly agree that more housing needs to be built in order to reduce costs in America’s most expensive cities. Using a novel survey of mayors of mid-sized and large cities to explore mayors’ views on the roots of America’s housing crisis and what solutions they believe will most effectively address their constituents’ housing challenges, the authors summarize mayors’ attitudes and perceptions on key issues related to expanding the housing supply, reporting how well these views correlate with mayors’ assessments of their own cities’ supply needs.
Podcast
White House reporter Annie Linskey offers a closer look at how the Trump White House makes decisions and what recent actions reveal about its strategy.
Additional Resource
In a new essay, The Case for Building an AmeriCorps Alumni Leadership Network, Allen Lab Policy Fellow Sonali Nijhawan argues that the 1.4 million Americans who have completed national service represent an underleveraged civic asset. Drawing on her experience as former Director of AmeriCorps, Nijhawan outlines a roadmap for transforming dispersed alumni into a connected leadership network capable of reinvigorating public service, rebuilding trust in government, and strengthening civic participation.