| Last week’s curation at RealClear’s American Civics portal begins with a piece at RealClearPolitics by Murray Bessette and David Rose, who recently founded the American Civics Academy. They push back against the “oppression thesis” – the popular claim that America is systemically rotten to its core – and instead highlight the greatness of the country that millions around the world have flocked to. What produced America’s “unprecedented levels of general prosperity” and flourishing was “cooperation – working together to produce a whole greater than the sum of its parts.” Bessette and Rose call this the “cooperation thesis.” As they note, “America is so extraordinary for the simple reason that we – as individuals and as a society – are the world’s best cooperators and have been so for a long time.” They close by aruging that civics educators should “embrace the cooperation thesis so that we can finally begin to cultivate the informed patriotism we so desperately need.” At the New York Post, long-time teacher Jeremy S. Adams argues that the reason why students do not know much about American history is because they believe that America is not worth learning about. He cites some eye-opening stats, including that “40% of Gen Z considers the American Founders to be ‘villains’ and one in three view Osama bin Laden’s ideas as ‘a force for good.’” He notes that this phenomenon is being fed by an unhealthy cynicism about our country’s history. Adams argues that a civic renaissance must begin in the classroom, where teachers can tell their students about America’s story—warts and all. As he concludes, “There is so much buried treasure in our past, so many American men and women from our rich history who can serve as moral leaders, political models and guideposts of our inner possibilities.” In the News Philip Wegmann, RealClearPolitics Auguste Meyrat, Federalist Amy Howe, SCOTUS Blog Adam J. White, Law & Liberty Murray Bessette, David Rose, RealClearPolitics Connor Martin, RealClearDefense Andrew Atterbury, Politico Catharine Richert, MPR News Atlanta History Center Elliott Drago, Jack Miller Center Jeremy S. Adams, Law & Liberty John F. Doherty, Public Discourse John Bridgeland and John DiIulio, The Hill Justin Driver, Education Next Jeremy Adams, New York Post We the People In this episode, two acclaimed Lincoln historians--Sidney Blumenthal, author of the three-volume "The Political Life of... Bill of Rights Institute What was Lincoln's understanding of the principles of democracy for human liberty? In this episode of Scholar... Arlington National Cemetary "It hurts sir," Calvin Bouknight said in his last words, as fellow soldier Dennis Deal recalled... Carl Cannon's Great American Stories Friday is also the day of the week that I invoke a quotation meant to be enlightening or uplifting. Today's ... Good morning, it's May 24, the Friday before Memorial Day, also the day of the week when I provide quotations ... Good morning, it's Tuesday, May 21. On this date in 1881, Clara Barton and a group of like-minded exemplars founded ... | 