Utah Valley University’s (UVU) Center for Constitutional Studies (CCS) is commemorating the United States of America’s 250th birthday with a Declaration Masterclass, video sessions created to introduce viewers to the key ideas and the basic history that animate the Declaration of Independence. The videos are free on YouTube and were produced with support from America250 Utah.
Videos are idea-focused, and each session highlights the timeless importance and contemporary relevance of these ideas. Each episode lasts approximately 15 minutes and is accompanied by supplemental primary source readings. Topics explore natural law and rights, equality, civic virtue, and more.
Featured scholars in the videos include the following:
- Nicholas Cole, Ph.D., of Pembroke College, University of Oxford
- Bradley Rebeiro, Ph.D., of Brigham Young University Law School
- Savannah Eccles Johnston, Ph.D., director of UVU’s Master of Arts in Constitutional Government, Civics, and Law program
- Robert Burton, Ph.D., director of the UVU Civic Thought and Leadership Initiative
- Matthew Brogdon, Ph.D., senior director of CCS at UVU
“The Declaration of Independence is much more than a historic document; it is a statement of enduring principles that continue to shape our understanding of liberty, equality, and self-government,” said Brogdon. “Through the Declaration Masterclass, we want to help people engage directly with those ideas, understand their historical context, and consider why they remain relevant nearly 250 years later.”
Learn more about the Declaration Masterclass videos.
