2026 is America’s 250th birthyear. To celebrate, I’ve highlighted several significant American documents. This will be the final entry in this series.
Guys, genuinely: thanks for following this project. I’ve seen the analytics and I’m grateful for your interest in it.
It’s been an extremely busy year and I’ve decided to wrap up “American Documents” after nine months, instead of going the distance to December. “Electoral Brawlage” and “This Week in 1776” will still go on. My workload has changed (for the better) and this was the easiest one to conclude.
On top of that, I was starting to feel like I was stretching the definition of a significant document. Why some Amendments, and not others? Some SCOTUS cases, and not more? Some presidential speeches, but by what criteria? Once you get past the Founding, a lot of this stuff becomes arbitrary.
I will still most likely write essays about the stuff that remains on my list, but I’ll do so after having read a few more books about them. Here’s what I was considering for the rest of 2026:
Eisenhower’s Farewell Address, where he warned the nation about the budding military industrial complex.
The Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, from 1963, after the Cuban Missile Crisis
The Hart-Celler Act, which from 1965 onward massively altered the scale of immigration to this country.
Ronald Reagan’s “A Time For Choosing” speech, 1964, as an endorsement of Barry Goldwater for president.
Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative speech, 1983, a.k.a. the “Star Wars” program.
Bush 41’s “Read My Lips” campaign promise and the ensuing fallout.
Clinton’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy from 1993, which loosened some military conduct standards regarding homosexual behavior.
Bush 43’s address to Congress in 2001, shortly after 9/11.
Obama announces the death of Bin Laden, 2011.
Trump’s first major national address about Covid, March of 2020.
You see how the selection criteria becomes vague over time. I think all of these events are worth discussing, but as I said, it would be better in the context of some book that I’ve read.
So that’s it for now. Thanks again for reading, and stay tuned for other work to come. It’s finally autumn, and in a week, it’ll be October.
See you out there.
Visit Nauvoo Supply to order HEARTLANDERS, the most American novel I’ve ever written. It’s like if National Treasure happened during Fallout with G.I. Joes.
My Amazon page has my other books, including FOSSIL FORCE for young boys and Engines of Liberty for all ages.
I post several times per week on YouTube.
Subscribe here for more book reviews and for articles on what I continue to learn as I read.