The 1776 Book Club

The Association for the Study of Connecticut History (ASCH) and the New England History Teachers Association (NEHTA) will be sponsoring a book-study program related to America250 themes; the series will begin in the upcoming fall and continue until July of 2026. This series will be designed for teachers, high school and university students, and all others who are interested in analyzing the time period of the American Revolution and the creation of the Constitution. 

These sessions will focus on topics such as the principles of the Declaration of Independence, the role of Indigenous peoples, women and Blacks in the era of the American Revolution, and the impact of the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution over time. We will be reading and analyzing recent scholarship on these topics. Sessions will be led by scholars and others deeply knowledgeable about the topics being discussed. Each meeting will be highly interactive; we want to create “book discussions” rather than “book talks.”

We sincerely hope that you will be part of our book series! You are invited to attend one or all of these sessions.

Session 4:
The Memory of ’76: The Revolution in American History by Michael D. Hattem
Moderated by: Jeffrey O’Leary, PhD, Mitchell College & Steve Armstrong, National Council for the Social Studies, NEHTA, Past President ASCH

Thursday 19 March 2026 @ 7:00 – 8:15PM
This work examines how the understanding of the American Revolution has changed over time
and that its meaning has always been continuously debated. Hattem argues that the Revolution is
this nation’s origin story and Americans have attached to it a narrative linked primarily to a
“hero’s journey.” As explored in this text, myriad voices since the late eighteenth century have
jockeyed for position to control the Revolution’s meaning. Ultimately, Hattem concludes that
the memory of the Revolution has often done more to divide Americans than to unite them.
Jeffrey O’Leary is Associate Professor of History at Mitchell College. His areas of academic
focus include U.S. and Irish history (19th and 20th centuries), world’s fairs, culture, memory
studies, and transatlantic history. He is the author of Beware of Imitations: The Display of
Irishness at Word’s Fairs and Expositions, 1893-2000 (Cork University Press, 202

For more information or to register: Visit the event webpage here.

Host Organization: Association for the Study of Connecticut History & New England History Teachers Association
Event Contact: [email protected]
This event is intended for: Adults – Seniors – High school & college students – Teachers

America 250 | CT Theme(s): Tell Inclusive Stories, For the Common Good, Doing History