Age Group:
Adults- Registration is required for this event.
- Registration will open on June 16, 2026 @ 9:00am.
- This event is for registrants grade Adult.
Program Description
Event Details
Two hundred and fifty years ago this year, a band of farmers who read philosophy in their spare time declared the independence of “thirteen united States of America.” They went on to found the republic that we live in today. What were the big ideas that inspired them to write the Declaration of Independence? What is freedom? What does it mean to have rights? What is the purpose of a republic? What meaning do these ideas still have for us today? Scott Samuelson, an award-winning philosopher with a knack for bringing big ideas down to earth, will explain the political thought that inspired the country’s founding.
For adults ages 18+
Registration is requested.
By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.