From Town Halls to the National Mall: Civic Engagement in American History

Each year, GHS selects a significant topic in Georgia's history as the focus of the Festival’s educational programs and resources. During the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States, GHS programs, resources, and publications explore the vital role that democratic institutions play in sustaining a republican form of government.

As part of the Georgia Historical Society’s US250 commemoration, the 2026-2027 Festival will explore the vital role of citizenship, voting, constitutional amendments, and the history that has shaped them in Georgia and the United States. Students will examine how the right to vote and the meaning of citizenship have expanded, evolved, and been challenged over time, from the founding era through the modern civil rights movement and beyond. We will also examine the role of frequent, free, and open elections and the foundational notion, first established by Washington, that in this self-governing republic those elected hold power in the name of the people, and they must all surrender power peacefully and without violence when the people have spoken. Aligned to the Georgia Standards of Excellence, this study will support students’ understanding of the historical struggles, constitutional developments, and civic responsibilities that continue to shape participation at the local, state, and national level in American democracy today.