The 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence presents Americans with an opportunity to reflect on the relevance of our past to current challenges. 

The Declaration: Continuity and Commerce began our reexamination of the Declaration by drawing attention to its Framers but also one of its great interpreters: President Calvin Coolidge. Coolidge recognized early the primacy of equality, economic liberty, and continuity in our Founding. “About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful,” Coolidge said. “…If all men are created equal, that is final.”

While president, Coolidge took care to mark the 150th anniversary of the Declaration, choosing to emphasize the role of enterprise in the nation’s founding. He pointed out that our nation’s father, George Washington, was not only a general and statesman but also “a builder and creator” and a “man of affairs.” Washington’s appreciation of all sides of human life enabled him to craft a government with greater prospects for abiding success. 

Even before he became president, Coolidge recognized that common law and property rights—two traditions we inherited from Britain—also gave the new nation a sturdy base: “Ultimately, personal rights and property rights are the same thing.”

We explored this history on January 10, 2025, at a national conference in Washington, D.C. Watch recordings of the conference sessions below.