Note: The following feature, originally published October 13, 2010, has been updated to celebrate President’s Day 2012.

Exactly what are “defining moments” and how do they shape a nation’s history? As human beings, we all experience important happenings in our personal lives which deeply influence us as individuals and as members of society – graduation from school, our first job, marriage, the birth of children, and the death of loved ones, to name a few. Just like humans, nations also witness the passage of events that dramatically affect their political philosophies, their place in the world’s order, and eventually, their survival.

Presidents Park, located in Williamsburg, Virginia, closed on September 30, 2010. Until then, Presidents Park was a place to be made aware of the “defining moments” that have all had a hand in making history in the United States. The purpose was also to promote a better understanding of the American presidency, foster appreciation for our presidents as individuals, encourage civic responsibility and involvement, and provide educational opportunities of the highest standards.

One product vital to the mission of education at the Park is its feature of “14 Defining Moments” in American History. The park considers these defining moments turning points in our history that revolutionized the way Americans think and the way American politics are conducted. These defining moments were chosen based off of a poll of eminent historians from around the country. These moments are: the American Revolution, The Creation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, Territorial Expansion of the U.S., the Civil War and Reconstruction, the Rise of Industry and the Labor Movement, Protecting the Nation’s Natural Resources, World War One, the Great Depression and FDR’s New Deal, World War Two, the Cold War and Korea, Landing a Man on the Moon, the Civil Rights Movement, the Terrorist Attack of 9/11 and its Aftermath, and “What if George Washington had become King of the United States?”

Though the park may be closed, it is as necessary today as it was when it opened in 2004 because of the wealth of information it had to offer on our past as a nation and the great men who led us. Further, their resources provide a valuable opportunity to discuss how these “defining moments” continue to help us “define modern citizenship.” In honor of President’s Day, NCoC would like to continue this discussion. Which moments in history do you believe have defined modern citizenship? What moments have shaped your personal form of citizenship?

The National Conference on Citizenship is happy to continue sharing the park’s educational material on our website. Two pieces of the Park’s valuable curriculum are available for download here: an overview of the “Defining Moments in American History” and the guide a “Journey With the Presidents.”