Resources
Access materials, references, and other resources to help plan your own commemorative events and programs in your community.
Illinois America 250 One Pager
A printable PDF that can be distributed to a broad audience, inviting Illinoisans to learn more about the Commission, and to participate in commemorating the 250th in their communities.
Civic Season from Made By Us 2025 Guidebook: Mapping Your Community
The third edition of the guidebook invites you to reflect on how spaces like museums, libraries, and parks shape our sense of community, connect us to history, and offer ways to participate in civic life.
Civic Season from Made By Us General Information
Civic Season is a new tradition for self-discovery and civic upskilling, co-created by Gen Z and cultural institutions. This summer, no matter where you are, you can connect to stories, inspiration and tools to help you power our democracy, from a vast array of credible sources. Civic Season is the flagship program from Made By Us, a network of hundreds of museums, historic sites, libraries and archives unleashing access to history for younger generations who have the most at stake.
Making History at 250
A Field Guide for the Semiquincentennial
The American Association for State and Local History and the National Endowment for the Humanities have developed a field guide for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, including a set of suggested themes: Unfinished Revolutions, Power of Place, We the People, American Experiment, Doing History that align well with the purpose of the Illinois Commission
State Policy Menu: A Guide to Strengthening Civics Education
Source: CivxNow
CivxNow is the nation’s largest cross-partisan coalition working to prioritize civic education in order to sustain and strengthen constitutional democracy in the United States. This includes building a shared commitment to ensure that all young people are prepared to assume their rights and responsibilities to participate in civic life.
Illinois America 250 Commission Press Announcement
Source: Illinois DNR
The State of Illinois announced the launch of the IL America 250 Commission on January 17, 2025 to launch the countdown to July 4, 2026. Speakers in order from first to last: 1. State Senator Doris Turner 2. Gabrielle Lyon (speaks at the end as well) 3. Becky Locker 4. Kayla Pilgrim 5. Dick Simpson
America’s Field Trip
Source: America 250
America’s Field Trip is a contest that invites students across the country in grades 3–12 to be part of America’s 250th anniversary by sharing their perspectives on what America means to them — with the opportunity to earn an unforgettable field trip experience at some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks.
Students are asked to submit writing or original artwork in response to the contest’s prompt: “What does America mean to you?”
Submissions will be accepted until Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. ET.