The second lecture of our series America 250: Society, History, Politics. With Prof. Dr. Charlotte Lerg.

The Revolution and the Declaration of Independence are firmly lodged in U.S. American memory, culture, and identity. All of these are deeply politcial, and so is popular culture, when we look closely. Legends and lore of of 1776 are deeply engrained the everyday, from childrens books to political rhetoric, from Broadway and late night comedy to advertizing and memes. The lecture will take a look at how pop culture and politics have long been closely aligned when it came to telling the story of the founding of the United States. It asks what this reveals—not only for the current moment—about memory and history caught between usable pasts and nationalist propaganda. 

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America 250: Society, History, Politics. This public lecture series explores the history of the United States from the precolonial age and early settlement through American Independence and the Civil War. Against the backdrop of the 250th anniversary of the United States, the series takes a historical perspective to better understand where the country stands today.

By examining key historical turning points, debates, and conflicts that shaped American society, politics, and identity, the lectures offer valuable insights into contemporary developments in the United States. Understanding America’s present through its past allows for a deeper and more nuanced view of current political, social, and cultural dynamics.

The lecture series is open to students and the general public and invites all interested audiences to engage in discussion and critical reflection on the history and present of the United States.

A cooperation between the Institute for American Studies Leipzig and the German-American Institute Saxony.