Americans know of the Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence, but do people really have knowledge about them?

A local group has pondered that question and decided there’s far more they need to know and that others likely want to know as well. Informal conversations developed into organized planning for an event on Sunday, Feb. 1.

“History Matters: Let’s Talk About It!” will take place from 1-3 p.m. in Main Street Books, 8 Main St. S., Minot. Due to space constraints, registration is limited. However, spots remain available, and people can sign up at Main Street Books. There is a $10 fee to cover programming costs.

Barb Solberg represents The Study, formerly Humanities North Dakota, on the event’s planning committee. She said she and others taking a “We the People” class offered by The Study found themselves discussing how little they actually know about the Declaration of Independence.

“This is the 250th anniversary of our country and the signing of the document,” Solberg said. “We said, ‘Why don’t we do something? Why don’t we figure something out? And so, then it just kind of snowballed.”

The League of Women Voters Plum Valley heard about the plans for “History Matters” and signed on.

“Part of the League of Women Voters is empowering voters, defending democracy,” said Heidi Super with the Plum Valley chapter. “That’s the big mission. We’re encouraged to do civics activities, to have educational outreach. So, it was a good fit.”

Organizers obtained a $250 grant from Thrivent Financial to help with the event. They obtained booklet copies of the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence to provide to those who attend and to aid in discussion.

“It’s nonpartisan. It’s no debate,” Solberg said of the event. It will include two short videos about the colonists’ 27 grievances and the connection of the grievances to the Bill of Rights. Participants then will meet in break-out groups that each will discuss a few of those grievances before coming back together to share insights.

“It’s important to say, ‘We the people,’ but also, ‘Why did they declare independence? What were the grievances?'” Solberg said. “At the end of two hours, as a whole group, we will have shared our knowledge about ‘What are the grievances against King George the Third and how did they become the Bill of Rights?'”

Grievances against King George included imposing taxes without consent and rendering the military independent of and superior to the civil power. The “History Matters” event will delve into what that 250-year-old language means and what it says about the Bill of Rights today, Solberg said.

“It fits with the time. It fits with our need to be informed. It fits with our need to create community,” she said.

The Study will be bringing another event to the state Sunday, Feb. 15, from 1-3 p.m.

“The Moral Foundations of Political Thought” will bring together author and philosopher Susan Neiman and conservative essayist and former White House speechwriter Peter Wehner in a livestream conversation moderated by N.D. Supreme Court Justice Jerod Tufte.

Neiman and Wehner will explore political foundations from leftist and conservative viewpoints. They will present the best version of their side’s political tradition, offer honest critiques of how their traditions have faltered, explore shared moral ground and principled disagreement, and reflect on the kind of political thinking the country needs today.

A link to the livestream can be obtained from The Study, but a community viewing that is open to the public also will be held at the Discovery Center in Minot.