Lexandria

Juneteenth commemorates the day freedom became a reality for the last enslaved Americans in Texas.

It is an opportunity to reflect on one of the greatest challenges in our nation's history and the ongoing effort to live up to the principles of liberty and equality expressed in the Declaration of Independence.

The abolition of slavery was not inevitable. For millennia, most people thought it was foolish or impossible.

Yet America ultimately rejected that institution because it was founded on the idea that all people are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

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Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom — Lexandria On June 19, 1865, Union forces arrived in Galveston, Texas, to close the final chapter on American institutional slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation was two years old by then; the war had ended months earlier. Juneteenth doesn’t celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation or the 13th Amendment to t...

As America approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, how do we teach students the nation's founding honestly and thoughtfully?

In our latest blog, Jacob Nestle explores why primary sources and open discussion are essential for helping students engage with the full American story—the ideals, the challenges, and the ongoing effort to live up to the principles of liberty and equality.

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Teaching America 250: Telling the Whole Story — Lexandria As America marks its 250th anniversary, here's how teachers can use primary sources and unflinching honesty to teach the American Founding, including its triumphs and its tragedies, with confidence. Teach America 250 with the whole story of America's successes and failures.

Which symbol of America tells the country's story better: the flag, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, or something else?

What is one history or civics book you'd recommend for summer reading?

Summer is one of the few times teachers get a chance to step back and think about the bigger picture.

What worked this year? What sparked the best discussions? What would you like to spend more time exploring next year?

When those ideas start taking shape, Lexandria will be here with free resources to help bring them into the classroom. Until then, we hope you're enjoying a well-earned break. 🍎📚

America will celebrate its 250th birthday in July.

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence asserted that governments derive “their just powers from the consent of the governed” and challenged centuries of inherited power and monarchy. The American founding drew from decades of debate about liberty, rights, power, and the responsibilities of a free people, launching what the Founders saw as a new experiment in self-government.

Lexandria’s eTextbook, The American Experiment: 250 Years of Enduring Principles, traces the intellectual roots of the American founding and examines the ideas and institutions that continue to shape civic life today.

250 years later, Americans still carry that experiment forward.

Read the free eTextbook here👇

Lexandria Social studies for the 21st century and beyond

Before summer break officially begins, here’s a quick civic vocabulary check:

Could your students explain liberty, governance, trade, equality before the law, or responsibility in their own words?

Which civic term do you think deserves more classroom discussion today?