Art That Shaped American Identity | San Jose News

Did you know “The Spirit of 76” was painted by Archibald McNeal Willard before the American Revolution even ended? Originally called “Yankee Doodle,” it was a cartoonish hit at the 1876 Centennial Exposition and toured the nation—so popular Willard painted 14 versions. The figures? Real people: a Civil War fife player, a general’s son on drums, and Willard’s own father. And get this—the song “Yankee Doodle” started as a British insult, mocking Americans as dandies with feathers in their caps, but colonists turned it into a rallying cry. Meanwhile, in the National Archives, Barry Faulkner’s 1936 mural shows Jefferson handing over the Declaration, with Founding Fathers watching on—75.9% of voters still call it America’s most important document. These artworks and documents still anchor how we see ourselves as a nation. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/44d34bf61d534ee5