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The 1776 Report
First and unabridged edition.
Under the executive order as US President, Donald Trump established a 20-member group serving a two-year term, which is to write a report on Core Principles of the American founding and how these principles may be understood to further enjoyment of the Blessings of Liberty. President Trump announced the new commission in a speech on September 17, 2020, in which he stated that a twisted Web of Lies regarding systemic racism was currently being taught in U.S. schools. The commission's goal is to end what it calls the radicalized view of American History which has vilified the United States' Founders and its founding.
Under the executive order as US President, Donald Trump established a 20-member group serving a two-year term, which is to write a report on Core Principles of the American founding and how these principles may be understood to further enjoyment of the Blessings of Liberty. President Trump announced the new commission in a speech on September 17, 2020, in which he stated that a twisted Web of Lies regarding systemic racism was currently being taught in U.S. schools. The commission's goal is to end what it calls the radicalized view of American History which has vilified the United States' Founders and its founding.
75 pages, Hardcover
First published January 18, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
February 16, 2021
"Rather than cast aside the serious study of America’s founding principles or breed contempt for America’s heritage, our educational system should aim to teach students about the true principles and history of their country— a history that is 'accurate, honest, unifying, inspiring, and ennobling'."
The 1776 Commission was appointed by President Trump in September and launched on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in the hopes of promoting patriotic education in schools, which for decades have been using leftist propaganda that teaches children to despise our Founding Fathers as hypocrites and racists and indeed our whole history as one of "oppression and victimhood". This is a wonderful overview of our Founding Principles and the challenges we've faced throughout history to those Principles, such as Slavery, Progressivism, Fascism, Communism, Racism, and Identity Politics. It also talks about the important role of Faith and Family in raising up good American citizens.
Sounds like dangerous propaganda, doesn't it?! So dangerous to the left's agenda that one of Biden's first actions after taking office was to revoke it by executive order. I read several of the countless news articles condemning the Commission, mainly out of curiosity to see what they could possibly find wrong with it. The biggest complaint seems to be that it "glorifies the country's founders" (one article even said it portrayed them as "god-like"). It also wants to promote a "brave and honest love of country"...oh no!!! 😱 Of course they also say it down-plays slavery, which is far from the truth. Other complaints are about the Report's portrayal of Progressivism, Identity Politics, and leftist indoctrination in schools, colleges, and even work-places...all of which is clear as crystal to anyone who has eyes to see. But whatever the left does, they will turn round and accuse the right of doing. We've seen their hypocrisy over and over and now they say that this was Trump's attempt to push Conservative propaganda in schools! Far from it, the Report simply asks educators to "rely almost exclusively on primary sources...The writings, speeches, first-hand accounts, and documents of those who were acting out the drama of history", which "allow students to study principles and arguments unfiltered by present-day historians’ biases and agendas."
The fight is not over. As Hillsdale College has so rightly said, "President Joe Biden might have cancelled the 1776 Commission on his first day in office, but America’s founding principles cannot be cancelled—the work to defend American history will go on."
The 1776 Commission was appointed by President Trump in September and launched on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, in the hopes of promoting patriotic education in schools, which for decades have been using leftist propaganda that teaches children to despise our Founding Fathers as hypocrites and racists and indeed our whole history as one of "oppression and victimhood". This is a wonderful overview of our Founding Principles and the challenges we've faced throughout history to those Principles, such as Slavery, Progressivism, Fascism, Communism, Racism, and Identity Politics. It also talks about the important role of Faith and Family in raising up good American citizens.
Sounds like dangerous propaganda, doesn't it?! So dangerous to the left's agenda that one of Biden's first actions after taking office was to revoke it by executive order. I read several of the countless news articles condemning the Commission, mainly out of curiosity to see what they could possibly find wrong with it. The biggest complaint seems to be that it "glorifies the country's founders" (one article even said it portrayed them as "god-like"). It also wants to promote a "brave and honest love of country"...oh no!!! 😱 Of course they also say it down-plays slavery, which is far from the truth. Other complaints are about the Report's portrayal of Progressivism, Identity Politics, and leftist indoctrination in schools, colleges, and even work-places...all of which is clear as crystal to anyone who has eyes to see. But whatever the left does, they will turn round and accuse the right of doing. We've seen their hypocrisy over and over and now they say that this was Trump's attempt to push Conservative propaganda in schools! Far from it, the Report simply asks educators to "rely almost exclusively on primary sources...The writings, speeches, first-hand accounts, and documents of those who were acting out the drama of history", which "allow students to study principles and arguments unfiltered by present-day historians’ biases and agendas."
The fight is not over. As Hillsdale College has so rightly said, "President Joe Biden might have cancelled the 1776 Commission on his first day in office, but America’s founding principles cannot be cancelled—the work to defend American history will go on."
January 25, 2021
Some thoughts while reading:
• Lacks rigor, does not contain any contributions from reputable scholars of American history
• On a similar note, no footnotes or credible sourcing for many claims
• When referencing historical figures, quotes are cherry picked to confirm the commission’s inherent bias
• Nowhere near as comprehensive or thorough as the 1619 Project which it attempts to discredit, reject, and correct
• Contains a lot of jingoistic rhetoric; it’s kind of disturbing how many times the word “love” is used to evoke feelings of reverence for the country’s history and historical figures
• Appendix III on identity politics is especially ill-researched, ill-supported, and ill-written; clearly biased on the willful misunderstanding of civil rights, feminism, and identity politics’ objectives; the authors have made no attempt to read or understand what it is they are rejecting
• Ignores the presence of fascism beyond WWII while simultaneously characterizing communism and Marxism as demonic and inherently evil, with clear digs at BLM’s “abolition of the nuclear family” and the idea of class struggle; praises MLK’s religiosity and activism while remaining ignorant to his socialist ideologies and focus on class struggle; also, the civil rights movement was never colorblind
• Feels like the Culture Wars of the 1990s all over again with Appendix IV’s damnation of the education system which has stayed largely influenced by conservative values and an “America’s Greatest Hits” approach to teaching the nation’s history; History professors and social studies educators were clearly not consulted here, otherwise they would know that history is an inherently conservative field that takes substantial evidence and decades to challenge and transform historical perception; obviously written to “confirm” Trump’s unsubstantiated belief that educators actively seek to “destroy our country”.
Now, for a few excerpts from the work with commentary:
• “This new education replaced humane and liberal education in many places, and alienated Americans from their own nature, their own identities, and their own place and time. Like square pegs and round holes, students are made to fit the latest expert theory about where history is headed next” (36). Anyone with knowledge of the K-12 system would know that public schools do not adhere to nor teach the latest findings in academia, as they are often teaching from outdated textbooks and constrained to the “Greatest Hits” approach.
• “New Civics uses direct community service and political action (such as protesting for gun control or lobbying for laws to address climate change) to teach students to bring change to the system itself. under this guys, civics education becomes less about teaching civic knowledge and more about encouraging contemporary policy positions” (37). The National Council for the Social Studies encourages the use of their C3 Framework to prepare students for college, career, and civic readiness. Civic readiness requires that students have an understanding of government functions and that they are familiar with the processes of civic engagement. This not only means community service, as the 1776 Commission recommends, but also knowledge on how to exact change in their communities (ie, activism). Students are not to be educated on a specific ideology or platform, but rather are encouraged to explore the issues they are passionate about.
• “Such an education starts by teaching that all Americans are equal members of one national community” (37). Except that a true study of American history would show that we have yet to reach this equality.
• Lacks rigor, does not contain any contributions from reputable scholars of American history
• On a similar note, no footnotes or credible sourcing for many claims
• When referencing historical figures, quotes are cherry picked to confirm the commission’s inherent bias
• Nowhere near as comprehensive or thorough as the 1619 Project which it attempts to discredit, reject, and correct
• Contains a lot of jingoistic rhetoric; it’s kind of disturbing how many times the word “love” is used to evoke feelings of reverence for the country’s history and historical figures
• Appendix III on identity politics is especially ill-researched, ill-supported, and ill-written; clearly biased on the willful misunderstanding of civil rights, feminism, and identity politics’ objectives; the authors have made no attempt to read or understand what it is they are rejecting
• Ignores the presence of fascism beyond WWII while simultaneously characterizing communism and Marxism as demonic and inherently evil, with clear digs at BLM’s “abolition of the nuclear family” and the idea of class struggle; praises MLK’s religiosity and activism while remaining ignorant to his socialist ideologies and focus on class struggle; also, the civil rights movement was never colorblind
• Feels like the Culture Wars of the 1990s all over again with Appendix IV’s damnation of the education system which has stayed largely influenced by conservative values and an “America’s Greatest Hits” approach to teaching the nation’s history; History professors and social studies educators were clearly not consulted here, otherwise they would know that history is an inherently conservative field that takes substantial evidence and decades to challenge and transform historical perception; obviously written to “confirm” Trump’s unsubstantiated belief that educators actively seek to “destroy our country”.
Now, for a few excerpts from the work with commentary:
• “This new education replaced humane and liberal education in many places, and alienated Americans from their own nature, their own identities, and their own place and time. Like square pegs and round holes, students are made to fit the latest expert theory about where history is headed next” (36). Anyone with knowledge of the K-12 system would know that public schools do not adhere to nor teach the latest findings in academia, as they are often teaching from outdated textbooks and constrained to the “Greatest Hits” approach.
• “New Civics uses direct community service and political action (such as protesting for gun control or lobbying for laws to address climate change) to teach students to bring change to the system itself. under this guys, civics education becomes less about teaching civic knowledge and more about encouraging contemporary policy positions” (37). The National Council for the Social Studies encourages the use of their C3 Framework to prepare students for college, career, and civic readiness. Civic readiness requires that students have an understanding of government functions and that they are familiar with the processes of civic engagement. This not only means community service, as the 1776 Commission recommends, but also knowledge on how to exact change in their communities (ie, activism). Students are not to be educated on a specific ideology or platform, but rather are encouraged to explore the issues they are passionate about.
• “Such an education starts by teaching that all Americans are equal members of one national community” (37). Except that a true study of American history would show that we have yet to reach this equality.
January 22, 2021
The report correctly describes slavery as antithetical to the principles stated in the founding documents of the U.S., yet proceeds (in section V) to urge absolute obedience to all laws without regard for their morality. To support this idea, the authors included a passage from Abraham Lincoln's Lyceum speech, given in 1838 while slavery, an anti-American institution, was still lawful. So on one hand, slavery is anti-American, yet for one to disobey a law upholding slavery is, in Lincoln's words, "to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the character of his own, and his children's liberty". The report praises Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement but vilifies the very notion of civil disobedience which King embraced and which was key to the movement's success. The authors really didn't think this through very well.
October 12, 2021
This is a hard work to "rate." Most of it is boilerplate West Coast Straussian interpretation of history you'd get from the Claremont Institute or Hillsdale; whatever disagreements I might have with it, its certainly a better way to envision the civic life of the United States than modern CRT iconoclasts do.
August 9, 2021
In these days of daily deciphering of what to believe, it is refreshing to read a middle-of-the-road explanation on a subject that is bound to raise the hackles of some Americans. This report is a “No Snark” zone, and relies upon the facts (documents, letters of those living years ago, etc.) to back up the statements put forth.
The Declaration of Independence established a formal union between the States as they sought to “dissolve the political bands” with England, and if one reads with an open mind there is no doubt as to their intentions, especially when it comes to the subject of equality. The book examines not only the document itself, but the intentions of the Founders and those who followed. It addresses how the interpretation by Progressives runs counter to what the Declaration means. Facts are facts, no matter what the subject and twisted facts or half-truths have no business in this conversation (for instance, upon his death George Washington freed all the slaves he owned. By law, the slaves that were part of Martha’s first husband’s estate reverted back to the Curtis family upon her death…thus, neither George nor Martha had the legal right to free slaves that were not theirs – so the book gets this right, along with other facts about other Founders).
It’s been a while since I read the Declaration of Independence (which is included) and I am sure there are many who have never read it, much less studied. This book is a great opportunity to rectify that situation. It is a quick read, and will give anyone a good start on understanding what the United States of America is all about. Five stars.
The Declaration of Independence established a formal union between the States as they sought to “dissolve the political bands” with England, and if one reads with an open mind there is no doubt as to their intentions, especially when it comes to the subject of equality. The book examines not only the document itself, but the intentions of the Founders and those who followed. It addresses how the interpretation by Progressives runs counter to what the Declaration means. Facts are facts, no matter what the subject and twisted facts or half-truths have no business in this conversation (for instance, upon his death George Washington freed all the slaves he owned. By law, the slaves that were part of Martha’s first husband’s estate reverted back to the Curtis family upon her death…thus, neither George nor Martha had the legal right to free slaves that were not theirs – so the book gets this right, along with other facts about other Founders).
It’s been a while since I read the Declaration of Independence (which is included) and I am sure there are many who have never read it, much less studied. This book is a great opportunity to rectify that situation. It is a quick read, and will give anyone a good start on understanding what the United States of America is all about. Five stars.
January 22, 2021
Yeah, this is probably the most useless document ever produced. It’s trite, the writing is awful, and it’s sole purpose seems to be to take the complexity out of history by creating a simplistic plea for everyone to march in step beneath “God’s” guidance. This bright and inane shinola might appeal to those of limited intellect, but anyone with an IQ in double digits will find this document to have zero value.
January 20, 2021
No historians were used in the creation of this document.
January 22, 2021
Trash. Glad it was taken off the White House website.
January 31, 2021
5 Stars! Should be read and discussed in every high school.
February 4, 2021
It's the 1776 Report by the 1776 Commission that President Trump commissioned. When President Biden took office he decommissioned this committee and dismissed the report. To me this report is history within history. The report gives the history of our nation and the report itself is a piece of history.
February 26, 2021
Clearest explanation of what is going on in our nation today that I have read yet. The report gives a historical perspective to current events, demonstrating how we got to where we are and what needs to happen now to preserve our nation for the future.
March 27, 2021
Inspiring read
I’m not American but I’m glad I read this. It’s a good reminder to the whole world about what America’s founding principles are, how they are timeless, and how the whole world stands to benefit by embracing these principles of every human being enjoying equal right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
I’m not American but I’m glad I read this. It’s a good reminder to the whole world about what America’s founding principles are, how they are timeless, and how the whole world stands to benefit by embracing these principles of every human being enjoying equal right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
January 26, 2022
Don't spend money on this document. This book is for sale, both a hardcopy and an ebook version. But if you google "1776 Report PDF," you'll find it for free.
Also, this book is bad history. I'm not going to bother explaining here--plenty of professional historians have already analyzed it. Go read what they have to say.
Also, this book is bad history. I'm not going to bother explaining here--plenty of professional historians have already analyzed it. Go read what they have to say.
June 28, 2021
Antidote for Critical Race Theory and Identity Politics
This essay centers around what unites vs divides us, grounded in the eternal principles of the Declaration of Independence and its practical offshoot, the Constitution. It should be read by anyone concerned about the proper teaching of American history and civics.
This essay centers around what unites vs divides us, grounded in the eternal principles of the Declaration of Independence and its practical offshoot, the Constitution. It should be read by anyone concerned about the proper teaching of American history and civics.
February 19, 2021
I find it unbelievable that something so much the essence of The United States was taken off The White House website by Biden. It is truly sad to see what children are learning today which does not fair well for a country of everyone is created equal!
January 23, 2021
Bad history. Somehow worse propaganda.
June 3, 2021
For those of us who are still Americans - well, it says it all.
July 31, 2021
People who complain about no references should send those complaints to those who suddenly pulled the funding for this project before it was complete. This is an easy read and enlightening.
May 6, 2022
Please please please read. This covers so many wonderful aspects of our country. Its an easy to understand book on our government. We have a duty to pass on freedom to our posterity. No one is born with republican ideals in our blood. We must learn from the wise men who came before us. And uphold the glorious ideals enshrined in our documents. Eternal truths of freedom.
December 11, 2022
We read The 1776 Report - you know, that weird American history summary that the Trump Administration released on MLK Jr. Day.
What could possibly go wrong when 24 people have two months to cram hundreds of years of American history into 20 pages?
What could possibly go wrong when 24 people have two months to cram hundreds of years of American history into 20 pages?
February 1, 2021
Groat read!
Well written and considered. Should be required reading by all Americans, but especially our school age children. Spells out exactly what principles America was founded on.
Well written and considered. Should be required reading by all Americans, but especially our school age children. Spells out exactly what principles America was founded on.
February 17, 2021
A must read for all Americans
Our Founders with all their knowledge, experiences and visionary qualities established the documents for a country like no other. Reviving those thoughts, ideals and visions will propel our nation forward for the next 250 years.
Our Founders with all their knowledge, experiences and visionary qualities established the documents for a country like no other. Reviving those thoughts, ideals and visions will propel our nation forward for the next 250 years.
December 17, 2021
A must read for any American. This is a great look at our founding principles, why they are what they are, and why it is important to uphold them especially in today's world. America is an amazing country rooted in freedom and equally.
January 25, 2022
So here's the thing. A lot of what's in this propaganda (and this is absolutely, unequivocally jingoistic propaganda) isn't necessarily wrong. It's just incomplete. Lots of omitted figures, events, stories that are just cut from this "record" of history. There's a lot of nonsense on page 31 about King and identity politics, as they call it: "A radical women’s liberation movement reimagined America as a patriarchal system, asserting that every woman is a victim of oppression by men. The Black Power and black nationalist movements reimagined America as a white supremacist regime. Meanwhile, other activists constructed artificial groupings to further divide Americans by race, creating new categories like 'Asian American' and 'Hispanic' to teach Americans to think of themselves in terms of group identities and to rouse various groups into politically cohesive bodies" (31). (I'm not even going to comment on the racist implications of their lowercase b in Black throughout, nor their antiquated double spacing between sentences.)
Also, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Frederick Douglass are the only 2 Black people referred to, I think...that's deeply problematic and demonstrates a superficial at best understanding of these men, their work, their speeches and books, and puts the burden of history on their shoulders. Also they conveniently omit discussions of King's War on Poverty and anti-war stance, further distorting the man's legacy.
It's all gross.
Also, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Frederick Douglass are the only 2 Black people referred to, I think...that's deeply problematic and demonstrates a superficial at best understanding of these men, their work, their speeches and books, and puts the burden of history on their shoulders. Also they conveniently omit discussions of King's War on Poverty and anti-war stance, further distorting the man's legacy.
It's all gross.
May 24, 2021
This book is short but mighty. It teaches readers about our birthrights to freedom, justice, and our inherent worth. The simple truths herein burn away the lies of the Left. Progressive media slogans and bullying cancel culture grab Americans’ faces and force our attention toward one small aperture of a larger picture.
If you can pull your attention away just long enough to swoop through this essential book, you will see how much hope and good the Founders believed our country capable of. Camelot barely compares to their vision.
Who should read it:
Parents, teachers, and church members.
Everyone who cares about Truth and the great American experiment
Why read it:
The truth matters.
YOU matter.
Proponents of critical race theory treats people like things with stupid acronyms. The Founders believed each of us, everywhere, was an individual worthy of self-determination. That’s what these words mean: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
-Declaration of Independence
What a truly wonderful idea. That’s us, the United States of America. All those who believe those words will strive to achieve them. Those who don’t, sadly don’t believe in themselves or anyone else.
If you can pull your attention away just long enough to swoop through this essential book, you will see how much hope and good the Founders believed our country capable of. Camelot barely compares to their vision.
Who should read it:
Parents, teachers, and church members.
Everyone who cares about Truth and the great American experiment
Why read it:
The truth matters.
YOU matter.
Proponents of critical race theory treats people like things with stupid acronyms. The Founders believed each of us, everywhere, was an individual worthy of self-determination. That’s what these words mean: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
-Declaration of Independence
What a truly wonderful idea. That’s us, the United States of America. All those who believe those words will strive to achieve them. Those who don’t, sadly don’t believe in themselves or anyone else.
July 6, 2021
Good Start
Good start. However, there is much to be desired. For example, stating that American public schools are there to teach principles of Americanism is not even close to being true. Compulsory education did not come to be for many years after the Declaration and Constitution. To be clear, it is the parent who is responsible for teaching the core subjects, including Americanism, to which they delegate that responsibility to a school body when they cannot do so due to incompetence, time, etc.
Carefully read this report and recall that it is a starting point, but not a treatise on the subject of American Founding and Republican Principles.
Good start. However, there is much to be desired. For example, stating that American public schools are there to teach principles of Americanism is not even close to being true. Compulsory education did not come to be for many years after the Declaration and Constitution. To be clear, it is the parent who is responsible for teaching the core subjects, including Americanism, to which they delegate that responsibility to a school body when they cannot do so due to incompetence, time, etc.
Carefully read this report and recall that it is a starting point, but not a treatise on the subject of American Founding and Republican Principles.
August 5, 2021
A Must Read for History Enthusiasts
There's too much to be said that this is a must-read for historical presentation. It's a good starting point, to say the least, for anyone who has not looked into American History.
"By turning to bitterness and judgment, distorted histories of those like Howard Zinn or the journalists behind the “1619 Project” have prevented their students from learning to think inductively with a rich repository of cultural, historical, and literary referents. Such works do not respect their students’ independence as young thinkers trying to grapple with social complexity while forming their empirical judgments about it. They disdain today’s students, just as they doubt the humanity, goodness, or benevolence in America’s greatest historical figures. They see only weaknesses and failures, teaching students truth is an illusion, that hypocrisy is everywhere, and that power is all that matters."
There's too much to be said that this is a must-read for historical presentation. It's a good starting point, to say the least, for anyone who has not looked into American History.
"By turning to bitterness and judgment, distorted histories of those like Howard Zinn or the journalists behind the “1619 Project” have prevented their students from learning to think inductively with a rich repository of cultural, historical, and literary referents. Such works do not respect their students’ independence as young thinkers trying to grapple with social complexity while forming their empirical judgments about it. They disdain today’s students, just as they doubt the humanity, goodness, or benevolence in America’s greatest historical figures. They see only weaknesses and failures, teaching students truth is an illusion, that hypocrisy is everywhere, and that power is all that matters."
February 13, 2021
Before reading this book I read some bad reviews about it and I was discouraged to start reading it. But I really appreciate the message that this book wants to pass, the important true values of human essence about freedom, equality and the obligation to protect these truths from the predators of tyrannical times.
About the negative comments: instead of focusing on the message (which they may lost), they focused on how it is written, if it is or not contradicting, lacking footnotes and other useless notes.
Tl;dr all human beings are equal, no matter what. People should be self governed and thus the government should have limited powers.
People most be prepared of anything that can undermine their rights, and should protect those with their education and if needed with their guns.
People who don't understand the 2nd amendment, may not either understand the essence of freedom.
About the negative comments: instead of focusing on the message (which they may lost), they focused on how it is written, if it is or not contradicting, lacking footnotes and other useless notes.
Tl;dr all human beings are equal, no matter what. People should be self governed and thus the government should have limited powers.
People most be prepared of anything that can undermine their rights, and should protect those with their education and if needed with their guns.
People who don't understand the 2nd amendment, may not either understand the essence of freedom.
April 21, 2021
Here is a quote from the "Conclusion":
"While this country has it imperfections, just like any other country, in the annals of history the United States has achieved the greatest degree of personal freedom, security, and prosperity for the greatest proportion of its own people and for others around the world."
Our success came from our founding in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights amendments. This "promissory note" began being paid in the Civil War, WW2, and the 1964 and 1965 Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts. We are well on our way. So may we not look back and freeze our country in 1619 but continue our rapid progress toward equal opportunity.
"While this country has it imperfections, just like any other country, in the annals of history the United States has achieved the greatest degree of personal freedom, security, and prosperity for the greatest proportion of its own people and for others around the world."
Our success came from our founding in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights amendments. This "promissory note" began being paid in the Civil War, WW2, and the 1964 and 1965 Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts. We are well on our way. So may we not look back and freeze our country in 1619 but continue our rapid progress toward equal opportunity.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews