Official Site of The State of New Jersey

The commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American revolution is an invitation for students to explore NJ’s revolutionary history and the continuing impact of the Revolution on America. This commemoration will go beyond the typical stories told in our textbooks to reveal and elevate the voices of all Americans.

Through Semiquincentennial observances, our students will celebrate the rights and responsibilities that have been conferred to them as members of a democracy and honor the spirit of the American Revolution through education, research and civic participation. RevolutionNJ and Revolutionary Schools work to empower students to live out the ideals of the American Revolution as local historians and active citizens in their communities.

Conversations about the American revolution enable students to contemplate its legacy, explore the revolutionary ideas of liberty, equality and democracy, and consider the 250-year evolution of America’s founding principles. The anniversary provides an opportunity for students to reflect on their role in maintaining American democracy and ensuring the fulfillment of those fundamental ideals.

Committing to the future of America is the best way to honor and acknowledge our past. Students of all ages can commit to active citizenship in their communities through civic participation, volunteerism and the preservation of local history. These efforts will create a new generation of informed and engaged citizens who understand both their rights and responsibilities in our democracy while working to preserve and share our diverse American story for generations to come.

A Revolutionary School is an officially recognized partner of the NJ Department of Education and RevolutionNJ. The goal of the Revolutionary Schools program is to support and celebrate schools that commemorate the 250th through exemplary social studies education, civic engagement and local history research.

• Opportunities to attend kick-off events and conferences.
• Regular updates on new educational materials and RevolutionNJ events.
• Access to instructional resources about New Jersey's role in the American Revolution.
• Collaboration opportunities with historians and educational experts.
• Standards-aligned instructional activities and educational materials.
• Professional development to support the implementation of RevolutionNJ education programs.
• Field trip directory of local historical sites.
• Networking opportunities with educators from across the state.
• Use of official RevolutionNJ Revolutionary Schools logo.

Revolutionary Schools agree to: 

• Engage in a class- or school-wide civics initiative to promote the ideals of the American Revolution and foster active civic participation. 
• Incorporate RevolutionNJ educational program(s) into the curriculum (History Happened Here or Foundations of Democracy).  
• Share exemplary social studies instructional practices. 
• Make social studies instruction accessible to all students and elevate the importance of civics and history instruction in all grades. 
• Share information about local and statewide events and commemorations of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.  

This commemoration is about much more than the American Revolution. We are celebrating the democracy that was formed as a result of the American Revolution. RevolutionNJ’s Interpretive Framework has identified the following thematic connections educators can use to discuss the impact of the American Revolution on our past and present.

• Exclusion/Inclusion
• Property and Sovereignty
• Revolutionary Ideals
• Political Participation
• Movement of People
• New Jersey as a Battleground
• The Historical Process