As we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation's founding, it's worth pausing to revisit three documents that have shaped the American story: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Though written in different eras, each reminds us of the principles, sacrifices, and responsibilities that have defined our nation from the beginning. This reflection is an invitation to think about the principles that have shaped our nation and continue to unite Americans across many different backgrounds and beliefs.
A Personal Connection to American Citizenship
My mother came to this country as an immigrant. Becoming an American citizen was among the proudest moments of her life, and she instilled in me a deep appreciation for the freedoms and opportunities that citizenship represents. She taught me that patriotism is not about political parties or elections. It is about gratitude for the country we share and the responsibility each of us has to preserve it for future generations.
Walking Through American History in Washington, D.C.
In April, I had the privilege of joining my brother, who teaches 8th grade U.S. History, on the annual field trip to Washington, D.C. We saw every monument and memorial, the Capitol, the National Archives, and the original flag that flew over Fort McHenry the night Francis Scott Key wrote our national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner. We visited Civil War battlegrounds, Ford's Theater, Mt. Vernon, and many other meaningful places from our nation's history. Walking where George Washington and Abraham Lincoln once walked was an emotional experience. This trip deepened my already profound love of America. It made me wish that every one of us could have the same opportunity.
Americans First: Rising Above Political Division
This is why, regardless of our political beliefs, I hope we all remember that we are Americans first. Our love for our country should not depend upon who occupies the White House or which party controls Congress. Governments change, elections come and go, yet the ideals upon which our nation was founded endure.
America has never been perfect, yet I believe it remains one of the greatest forces for freedom and opportunity the world has ever known. Our Founding Fathers pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to bring forth a nation founded on the timeless ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — words drawn directly from the Declaration of Independence. Those ideals continue to inspire millions today.
The Pursuit of Happiness as a Personal Choice
The pursuit of happiness is not merely a phrase in our Declaration of Independence — it is also a personal choice. Lasting happiness is difficult to find when we allow anger and offense to consume us. Our nation has overcome tremendous challenges throughout its history because Americans have found ways to disagree without forgetting that we share a common destiny. Civility, mutual respect, and a willingness to compromise remain essential.
How the Declaration and the Constitution Work Together
While the Declaration of Independence proclaimed the ideals of our nation, the Constitution provided the framework for preserving those ideals through the rule of law. Together, these documents remind us that liberty depends not only on our rights, but also on our shared responsibilities as citizens.
Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: A Test of National Unity
America has experienced periods of profound disagreement throughout its history. While every generation faces its own challenges, our nation's strength has always come from our ability to preserve our constitutional principles even during difficult times. More than 160 years ago, America was being tested by intense division and radically different ideas of the path forward. The inability to resolve those differences led to our nation's bloodiest conflict, the Civil War. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address remains one of the most enduring expressions of our nation's commitment to liberty, sacrifice, unity, and freedom.
“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
— Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863
Celebrating 250 Years Together
As we celebrate America's 250th birthday, it is my sincere hope that we can rise above today's divisions and remember that patriotism and love of country remain values that unite us across generations and across differences.
This year, I hope you'll join me in re-reading and reflecting on these remarkable documents — the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution — taking pride in the blessings of American citizenship, and, perhaps, displaying our nation's flag as a simple expression of gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy.
Over the years, I've been grateful for the opportunity to serve many families who share a commitment to building a better future for the generations that follow. As we commemorate this historic anniversary, I hope these documents inspire reflection on the enduring principles that make that future possible.
May God continue to bless you, your family, and the United States of America.