Diving into the Declaration of Independence
| Date | See below |
| Location | Anderson Center 460 - View maps and directions |
| Instructions for Guests | Bethel University - Anderson Center 2 Pine Tree Drive Arden Hills, MN 55112 Please note: this is not the Main Campus of Bethel University Enter through the main doors of the Anderson Center. Signage will direct guests to ANC 480. |
| Cost | IF ACCEPTED, participants are asked to pay a $50 deposit to hold their spot. This deposit will be returned to the participant, along with the $300 stipend, at the end of the program. The deposit check will only be cashed if the registrant holds a spot but fails to attend. Applicants should not pay through the registration form. Information about where to send the deposit check will be included in acceptance correspondence. |
| Registration | Please apply by May 24. Participants will be selected in the last week of May, and on a rolling basis thereafter, until all slots are filled. Register |
| Sponsors | The Jack Miller Center’s Founding Civics Initiative |
Event Dates
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 | 8:30 a.m.
- 4 p.m.
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 8:30 a.m.
- 4 p.m.
Thursday, August 13, 2026 | 8:30 a.m.
- 4 p.m.
Event Description
What did Jefferson mean when he said that “All men are created equal”? What are “Unalienable rights,” and why did Jefferson say they were “Endowed by our Creator”? And what is a “Self-evident truth”? Take a dive into these questions by reading some short excerpts of the sources that Jefferson read and digested as he wrote the Declaration of Independence: John Locke, Blackstone, Aristotle, and Lord Kames.
All sessions will be led by top scholars in their field:
- Lynn Uzzell is Associate Professor of Political Science at Bethel University and author of Locke-ing and Un-Locke-ing the Declaration of Independence: An Introduction to Jefferson’s Philosophy of Revolution.
- Kevin Burns is Associate Professor of Political Science at Benedictine College and co-editor of Congressional Deliberation: Major Debates, Speeches, and Writings, 1774-2023.
Details about the event:
- Breakfast and lunch will be provided daily.
- Readings will be mailed at least two weeks before the program.
- Course runs daily from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- Participants will receive 15 clock hours of professional development credit.
- Participants will receive a $300 stipend upon completion of the program. (Sorry, whether near or far, we cannot reimburse any travel expenses.)
Questions?
CONTACT summer-civics@bethel.edu.
Register
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