#442 The American Story and the Importance of Understanding and Defending It with Dr. Matthew Spalding

American history–or how we tell the American story–is critical to our future, and we should fully understand that past so we can explain and defend it. In this episode, Dr. Matthew Spalding joins me to discuss his newest book The Making of the American Mind: The Story of Our Declaration of Independence as well as the 1776 Commission, America250, and his recent testimony before Congress concerning the Smithsonian’s efforts to reshape the past. Here’s our discussion about the American founding and why remembering our history matters for the future of the American experiment. Matthew Spalding is the Kirby Professor in Constitutional Government and Dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College and oversees the Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship at Hillsdale’s Washington, D.C. campus. His new book, The Making of the American Mind: The Story of Our Declaration of Independence, was released in December 2025. Spalding is also the best-selling author of We Still Hold These Truths: Rediscovering Our Principles, Reclaiming Our Future and the original executive editor of The Heritage Guide to the Constitution, the first line-by-line analysis of each clause of the U.S. Constitution. Appointed executive director of the President’s Advisory 1776 Commission, which produced The 1776 Report, he is currently a senior academic advisor for America250 projects. Prior to joining Hillsdale, Spalding was vice president for American Studies at The Heritage Foundation and founding director of its B. Kenneth Simon Center for Principles and Politics. He is a senior fellow at the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy and serves on the boards of The Steamboat Institute, Faith & Law, the James Wilson Institute, and New College of Florida. He received his BA from Claremont McKenna College and his MA and PhD from the Claremont Graduate School. Links: The Making of the American Mind: The Story of Our Declaration of Independence The 1776 Report Click Here to Watch on YouTube The post #442 The American Story and the Importance of Understanding and Defending It with Dr. Matthew Spalding first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.