The American experiment: dialogues on a dream

1. Promise and principle: 400 years of Amerian history / Jill LePore

The Declaratio of Independence / Danielle S. Allen

Religious freedom / Catherine Brekus

The First Amendment and Freedom of the Press / Donald E. Graham

The Presidential election of 2020 / Michael Beschloss

2. Suffering and sorrow: Native American history / Philip J. DeLoria

Death and the Civil War / Drew Gilpin Faust

The Vietnam War / Ken Burns

Military service / Jack Jacobs

3. Restoration and repair: Reconstruction / Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Frederic Douglass / David W. Blight

Women's Suffrage / Elaine Weiss

John Lewis and Civil Rights / Jon Meacham

4. Invention and ingenuity: 400 years of American capitalism / Bhu Srinivasan

American innovation / Walter Isaacson

The Wright Brothers / David McCullough

The race to the Moon / Douglas Brinkley

The Human Genome Project and scientific research / Dr. Francis S. Collins

5. Creation and culture: Jazz, American's national art / Wynton Marsalis

The actor's life / Rita Moreno

The visual arts / Mark Bradford

Tennis and activism / Billie Jean King

Baseball / Cal Ripken Jr.

6. Becoming and belonging: The struggle for gay rights / Lillian Faderman

The history of immigration / Jia Lynn Yang

Being an immigrant / Madeleine K. Albright

Civics and civic education / Sonia Satomayor

Acknowledgments

About the contributors

Appendix I: Citizenship test

Apppendix II: Full Harris Poll survey results

Index.

Promise And Principle --

Jill Lepore On 400 Years Of American History --

Danielle S. Allen On The Declaration Of Independence --

Catherine Brekus On Religious Freedom --

Donald E. Graham On The First Amendment And Freedom Of The Press --

Michael Beschloss On The Presidential Election Of 2020 --

Suffering And Sorrow --

Philip J. Deloria On Native American History --

Drew Gilpin Faust On Death And The Civil War --

Ken Burns On The Vietnam War --

Jack Jacobs On Military Service --

Restoration And Repair --

Henry Louis Gates Jr. On Reconstruction --

David W. Blight On Frederick Douglass --

Elaine Weiss On Women's Suffrage --

Jon Meacham On John Lewis And Civil Rights --

Invention And Ingenuity --

Bhu Srinivasan On 400 Years Of American Capitalism -- Walter Isaacson On American Innovation --

David McCullough On The Wright Brothers --

Douglas Brinkley On The Race To The Moon --

Dr. Francis S. Collins On The Human Genome Project And Scientific Research --

Creation And Culture --

Wynton Marsalis On Jazz, America's National Art --

Rita Moreno On The Actor's Life --

Mark Bradford On The Visual Arts --

Billie Jean King On Tennis And Activism --

Cal Ripken Jr. On Baseball --

Becoming And Belonging --

Lillian Faderman On The Struggle For Gay Rights --

Jia Lynn Yang On The History Of Immigration --

Madeleine K. Albright On Being An Immigrant --

Sonia Sotomayor On Civics And Civic Education.