The Memory of '76

TO BE FEATURED IN A MOUNT VERNON BOOK TALK AND AUTHOR SIGNING ON OCTOBER 2, 2024

The surprising history of how Americans have contested the meaning and legacy of the Revolution for nearly two and a half centuries.

While Americans agree that their nation’s origins lie in the Revolution, they have never reached a consensus on what the Revolution meant. For almost 250 years, politicians, political parties, social movements, and ordinary citizens have continuously reinterpreted the Revolution to align with the times and their own agendas.

In this expansive examination of American history, Michael D. Hattem uncovers how disputes over the meaning and legacy of the Revolution—including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution—have shaped pivotal events and tumultuous periods in the nation’s history. He highlights how African Americans, women, and other oppressed groups have influenced the popular memory of the Revolution and reveals that much of our current understanding of the Revolution stems from Cold War-era propaganda.

By delving into the Revolution’s unique role in American history as a national origin myth, "The Memory of ’76" illustrates how remembering the nation’s founding has often divided Americans more than united them and underscores the long-standing American tradition of revising the past for political purposes.