The American Patriot's Almanac: Daily Readings on America » (Revised)

365 reasons to love America!

The fife and drum of history mark the time of each passing day. And within their cadence, personalities, conflicts, discoveries, ideas, and nations peal and fade. American history is no different. From the starving time of Jamestown during the Winter of 1609, through the bloody argument of the Civil War, and to today, the United States is a tale best told one day at a time.

Best-selling author and educator Dr. William J. Bennett is a master of the story that is the United States. And in The American Patriot's Almanac, Bennett distills the American drama into three hundred sixty-five entries-one for each day of the year. Fascinating in its detail and singular in its grasp of the big themes, Bennett's Almanac will make anyone a fan of history, assembling even some of the most obscure details. Even better, it will make of everyone a patriot.

This revised edition includes:

• A new Preface and updated facts and figures


• Updates to the American History Parade lists and daily readings


• New special sections on "Faith and the Founders;" "State Facts and Symbols," with fascinating trivia; and "Fifty American Quotes," containing great quotes about the American spirit.

Contents

Preface....................ix
Introduction: The American Patriot....................xiv
Twelve Great Reasons to Love a Great Country....................xx
January....................1
Flags of the Revolutionary War....................33
February....................37
The History of the Stars and Stripes....................66
March....................71
Fifty All-American Movies....................103
April....................115
Fifty American Quotes....................146
May....................159
Flag Etiquette: Guidelines for Displaying and Handling the US Flag....................191
June....................199
How the Declaration of Independence Was Written and Signed....................230
The Declaration of Independence....................233
July....................239
How the Constitution Was Written and Ratified....................271
The Constitution of the United States....................274
The Bill of Rights....................290
Amendments to the US Constitution Since the Bill of Rights....................293
August....................305
The Gettysburg Address....................337
The Emancipation Proclamation....................339
The Pledge of Allegiance....................342
The American's Creed....................344
September....................345
Songs of American Patriotism....................376
October....................397
Poems of American Patriotism....................429
November....................439
Faith and the Founders....................470
Prayers for the American People....................476
December....................485
State Flags, Facts, and Symbols....................517
Acknowledgments....................547
Notes....................549
Index....................551
About the Authors....................561