America’s Semiquincentennial
As part of the celebration for America’s 250th anniversary, the Department of Education has created a national civics’ competition, “the Presidential 1776 Award.” The Award, as outlined in Executive Order 14190 to “recognize student knowledge of the American founding, including knowledge about the Founders, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitutional Convention, and the great soldiers and battles of the American Revolutionary War.”
The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation is honored to support the Department’s Presidential 1776 Award as part of the nation’s Semiquincentennial. Through its network of distinguished secondary school teachers of U.S. history, civics, and government, the Foundation is privileged to use its subject-matter expertise to write the questions for this prestigious competition and accolade. Questions have been drawn from several sources including:
- primary source documents leading up to, during, and after the American Founding,
- synopses of great American Revolutionary War battles such as the Battles of Bunker Hill, Yorktown, Saratoga, Flamborough Head, and others,
- biographies of great American soldiers, sailors, and patriots whose valiant courage helped win the American Revolution, and
- primary source documents leading to the creation and ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
Betsy Ross 1777, a ca. 1920 depiction by artist Jean Leon Gerome Ferris of Ross showing Gen. George Washington (seated, left), Robert Morris and George Ross how she cut the revised five-pointed stars for the flag.
The questions will test even the most diligent student of American history and civics and will hopefully inspire all contestants to learn more about the history of their great nation.
As designed by the Department of Education, the first step in the contest will consist of a multiple-choice test section administered online throughout the nation in February. The second step will consist of students with the highest scores on the multiple-choice test competing in an oral exam at one of five regions throughout the nation. The third and final step will consist of a national championship oral examination to be held in Washington, D.C. in June 2026.
In order to compete, a student must be a citizen of the United States and in grades 9-12. More details, including signups and official study materials, can be found at the Department of Education’s award website presidential1776award.org.
James Madison Fellows are among the best teachers in the nation and, like U.S. history, civics, and government teachers everywhere, aim to inspire young citizens to take an interest in the country’s history and governance.
