What Every American Should Know

In the early 80’s Neil Diamond came out with a hit song titled “America”. The lyrics resonate a message of hope and freedom as Neil Diamond sings, “Everywhere around the world they’re coming to America”. The United States of America is the hope of the world. That is not a boastful statement it is just fact. The State Department is flooded with requests that they have to turn down daily to hopeful individuals all over the world who want to come to America where they can be free to pursue happiness and live in peace.

There are a series of standards to becoming a citizen of this country which include being at least 18 years old, a person of good moral character, have knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of U.S. history and government, are attached to, and can support, the principles of the U.S. Constitution and can swear allegiance to the United States.

Unfortunately, many of our own natural born citizens can not meet these standards. Even more tragic, most of the members of the U.S. Congress do not meet these standards. In an effort to change this, we have put together a series of resources to help you and your family learn what every new citizen of this country has to learn and what every American should already know.

Patriot's Reading List

Patriots Reading List on HFA

American History Resource Center

History Resources on HFA

Can you pass the citizenship test 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13442226/

This is a link to a test of sample questions from the Citizenship test. It is a great way to test your knowledge on America’s history and heritage. 

9 12 Project   

http://theglennbeck912project.com/stand-up-and-lead/  

The Constitutional Source Project 

http://www.consource.org/index.asp?bid=714  

Teacher Curriculum Center 

http://consource.org/index.asp?sid=30&fid=250  

The Voices of Our Founding Fathers 

http://www.foundingfathervoices.com/ 

Deborah Sampson, Revolutionary War Patriot & Soldier

http://www.revolutionarywararchives.org/womansoldier.html

Real American Stories 

http://www.realamericanstories.com/heritage/

Foundational Documents

http://www.instituteontheconstitution.com/IOTC-NewSite/documents.html

It is remarkable how many American citizens have not read documents so central to the preservation of our rights as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. This is a great link to view these and other founding documents that forged our Nation. You can’t preserve and protect what you don’t even know you have. 

America ’s Historical Documents 

http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?cat=HD

This is a wonderful list of speeches, letters, and other documents and correspondences that are well worth reading including Thanksgiving Proclamations given by various presidents throughout our history. A wonderful collection 

The Federalist Papers 

http://www.foundingfathers.info/federalistpapers/

The Federalist Papers were written and published during the years 1787 and 1788 in several New York State newspapers to persuade New York voters to ratify the proposed constitution. In total, the Federalist Papers consist of 85 essays outlining how this new government would operate and why this type of government was the best choice for the United States of America. A must read for every American. 

The Making of America Game 

http://nccs.net/constitution/index.html

This is both fun and fundamental; a great way to learn about America’s history and heritage. Great for all ages. 

A More Perfect Union 

http://www.nccs.net/ampu.html

Become eye-witness to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in this remarkable moving and accurate film. 

The American Classics Series 

http://www.nccs.net/

A series dedicated to helping Americans understand and appreciate the Founders and the remarkable system of free government which they gave us. Discover who these great men really were in The Real George Washington, The Real Thomas Jefferson, and The Real Benjamin Franklin. 

The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle that Changed the World 

http://www.nccs.net/amgovt1.html

Have you ever read a book which literally changed the course of your thinking and your life? That is the nature of this course which uses The 5000 Year Leap as the text.     It is a study of the United States Constitution from a principle based approach. You will learn where the founding Fathers got their ideas for sound government and how a return to these ideas can solve our nations problems today.  

Prelude to Glory 

This is an awesome historic fiction series depicting the events of the Unites States Revolution. It is an 8 volume set and filled with all the excitement, intrigue and romance that any reader will love. We highly recommend this series for an up close, personal look at the people and places of the American Revolution.

Recommended Books and Resources 

This is a list of recommended books and resources to help you in your study of America’s remarkable history and your divine heritage. This is the legacy of freedom our ancestors left for us. We hope you will embrace it and pass it on to the next generation. The light of liberty can not burn if we are not passing it on. Most of these resources can be found at www.lovetolearn.net   or www.classicbooks.com  . We also recommend www.nccs.net  and www.wallbuilders.com  Many of the books listed below can be found at these sites exclusively.

Beginners 

We recommend these books as primers to your study. Some of them are children’s books but they are wonderful reading at any level.

American History Stories (That you never read in school…but should have) by Mara L. Pratt

The Land of Fair Play by Geoffrey Parsons

Patriots in Petticoats by Patricia Edwards Clyne (this is out of print but can be purchased through Amazon) 

Journey to Ellis Island: How my father came to America by Carol Bierman

The Children’s Book of America by William J. Bennett

I Love America Part I & 2     by Julianne S. Kimber

The Light and the Glory for Children by Peter Marshall and David Manuel

Daughter of Liberty by Robert Quackenbush

Apple and the Arrow, Legend of William Tell by Conrad Buff 

In Freedom’s Cause by G. A. Henty

Whatever Happened to Penny Candy by Richard J. Maybury

Whatever Happened to Justice by Richard J. Maybury

The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel

The 4^th of July Story by Alice Dalgliesh

Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Illustrated by Ted Rand

Night Journeys by Avi

The Star Spangled Banner (a scholastic book)

The Bullet Proof George Washington (Wallbuilders)

The Man Who Would Not Be King (Wallbuilders)

Let the Authors Speak--A Guide to Worthy Books Based on Historical Settings by Carolyn Hatcher 

Story of the World (multi book set) by Susan Wise Bauer

The Grown-up List for Hungry Seekers of Knowledge 

We strongly recommend these books to anyone truly seeking to learn about our history, our heritage and our legacy. Once you have read the beginners you will hunger for more. These will fill your ravenous appetite. Dig in!

The 5000 Year Leap: The Miracle that changed the world by Cleon Skousen

The Real George Washington by Parry Allison Skousen

The Real Benjamin Franklin 

The Real Thomas Jefferson 

The Making of America by Cleon Skousen

The Law by Frederic Bastiat

America’s God and Country by William J. Federer