Description
In The First Duty of an American Citizen, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Jon Meacham turns from the actions of presidents and political leaders to the responsibilities that rest with us, with every American citizen.
Drawing upon voices from across American history, Meacham considers the habits essential to a functioning democracy: Engaging with those with whom we disagree, respecting facts and reason, resisting reflexive partisanship, maintaining a critical balance, and looking to history for perspective.
In this short and powerful book, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Jon Meacham turns his attention from presidents and political leaders to us, to the responsibilities of every citizen. What does self-government require of you? What obligations accompany the freedoms we inherit? And what habits of mind and character are necessary if the American experiment is to endure?
This important text asks an enduring question with particular resonance as the United States marks its 250th anniversary. What must each generation do to sustain the American experiment it has inherited?
