ABOUT

We Hold
These Truths

A Fresh Look At Our
American Democracy

Center for Civic Education
Documentary Series

This timely five-part documentary series on U.S. civic and constitutional history is hosted by Mark Hamill and delivered by scholars and educators reaching millions of viewers at home and in classrooms. Most Americans lack a strong understanding about how their government functions because for decades, states have cut instructional time for civics in order to prioritize standardized testing for math and reading. So the aim of this documentary series is to cultivate an informed and thoughtful citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy.

Executive Producers
Mark Hamill
David Holden
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1765

“Liberty cannot be preserved without a
general knowledge among the people,
who have a right … and a desire to know.


John Adams

The Declaration was America's foundational document, laying before the world the self-evident truths of a free and fair republic and it's famous second paragraph begins with these words "We hold these truths...".



The 2026 Semiquincentennial celebration was a launching point for America to reconnect with our founding principles as we enter into 13 years of civic celebrations and reflection on these milestones. Not only is civic education a worthy cause, it is a vital part of any democracy.

However, research shows that knowledge regarding basic government principles and operations is surprisingly low in the United States. According to an Annenberg Public Policy Center survey, one-third of Americans could not name all three branches of their government, and two-thirds could not name three of the five First Amendment rights. The results are even more disheartening when it comes to state and local politics. It’s time to begin filling that education gap. The Center for Civic Education and Capital Media Group, Inc. are launching a national initiative to increase civic knowledge and citizen responsibility.

This compelling five-part TV documentary series for PBS distribution speaks directly to a national American audience in which civic knowledge is alarmingly sparse. We can all agree that every American should have a strong understanding of the U.S. government's inner workings, the significance of key government documents like the Constitution, and the principles of democracy. Compound this lack of civic knowledge with disinformation and you have the building blocks for conspiracy theories, conflict, and disenfranchisement. Along with foundational civics and constitutional topics, this nonpartisan educational TV series will address these knowledge gaps and explore the misinformation that has divided America and increased the distrust of its government and public service members.

“We the People” are the first three words of the Preamble to the United States Constitution, meaning that the authority of the government comes from its citizens rather than a ruler. The government only has power because the people agree to let it lead. The power to rule belongs to the people. Citizens grant authority to the government through a social contract. The We Hold These Truths documentary series explores the rights, duties, and responsibilities of engaged citizens. Each episode will engage and educate the viewer in an entertaining and relevant manner the entire family can enjoy and become a trusted educational tool for parents, educators, and anyone eager to become an active and informed citizen.

Five-Part Documentary
Series on U.S. Civics

We Hold These Truths documentary series strips away the partisan politics and fills in the civic education gap. This series will not tell you who to vote for, rather we will focus on explaining how the American government works to empower voters. When an electorate understands the framework of their government, candidates can no longer hide behind empty rhetoric, and misinformation viral clips. When we don’t understand our civic history and structure —the Constitution, the separation of powers, the limits of executive authority— voters end up electing people based on negative ad campaigns rather than qualifications. As U.S. citizens, it is our responsibility to be educated, informed, and active participants in our Democracy.

  • Self-Evident? The Ideas That Built America

  • Compromise or Chaos: How the Constitution Was Born

  • Three Branches, One Government: Can It All Work?

  • Power in Layers: The Puzzle of U.S. Federalism

  • From the Bill of Rights to Your Backyard

Episode One

The first episode will address the roots of American democracy and the “Truths” we hold as self-evident that all men are created equal. What are their origins and how did they shape the foundation of American constitutional democracy? What major ideas about civic life and government influenced American thinking about government? (Political philosophy) How did colonists think about constitutional government and rights? (Connecting history with today's events) How Democratic were early state constitutions? (throughline to today’s states and rights) We will also explore the unfinished work of the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, racial and gender justice. How does the media convey political information and what are some ways to become media literate? What is civic engagement and why is it important to American constitutional democracy? It's time we stopped being spectators in our own democracy and actively engage in the process.

Episode Two

It took a lot of compromises to create the new constitution. Episode two will reveal how many of those compromises still have far-reaching effects on our government and American life today. We will answer the questions: What is American political philosophy? Did our framers create a complete government? How are the criticisms of the anti-federalists still relevant today? Why did American colonists want to free themselves from Great Britain? Is compromise the best path to success? Were anti-federalists justified in opposing the new constitution? (Current event implications) How did ratification succeed? (Foundational American political philosophy) and How do key Constitutional Compromises impact the United States today?

Episode Three

Episode three will answer the questions: What exactly do we mean by separate and shared powers? What are the roles, structures, powers, and limits on the powers of the three branches? How have these powers and limits been tested, expanded, and challenged over the years? What is the role of Congress in the American Political system? What is the role of the President in the American Constitutional system? How do the Constitution and judicial review empower and limit the judiciary? What role does the Separation of Powers play in the American constitutional system today?

Episode Four

The U.S. government is a federal system. Our historians for episode four will explain how we decided on such a system. We will also look into the ever-evolving nature of the states and national government’s relationship. What is the relationship between the local, states, national, and tribal governments? What did America’s first government look like? How do States fit into the Federal System of Government in the U.S.? What is the role of states within the Federal System? How does the Constitution recognize the sovereignty of Indigenous Nations? How do the Reconstruction Amendments change the relationship between State and Federal Governments?

Episode Five

What rights to Americans "think" are protected by the Constitution? We will uncover the definition of "...they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness". What are the powers of the people under the Constitution?What is the Bill of Rights and what are some of the first rights protected? How does the Bill of Rights Protect the rights of the accused? How do civic organizations give the people a voice in government? How have the People's Rights to Vote andhave representation evolved?

Narrator and Host
Mark Hamill

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Mark Hamill is an Actor, Producer, and Director.

The American actor Mark Hamill has played and voiced over 250 roles, gaining world fame with his portrayal of Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movie trilogy (1977–1983). To this day, his role as a jedi remains one of the greatest symbols of good battling evil and of light triumphing over darkness.

IMDb

Mark Hamill distinguished himself from his role in Star Wars by landing roles like Corvette Summer (1978) and Samuel Fuller's The Big Red One (1980) and pursuing a theatre career on Broadway, starring in productions of The Elephant Man (1980), Amadeus (1983) and The Nerd (1987). Starting in the 1990s, Hamill began to work primarily as a voice actor for animated film, television, and video games, with the Joker in multiple pieces of DC Comics media, starting with Batman: The Animated Series in 1992, being his most well-known voice role. For his role of the Joker, he was nominated for two Annie Awards and won a BAFTA Game Award. His other animated roles include the Hobgoblin in Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994–1998), Fire Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–2008), Mr. Salacia and Senator Stampingston in Metalocalypse (2006–2013, 2023), and Skips in Regular Show (2010–2017) and The Lost Tapes (2026–present).

Hamill returned to mainstream prominence when he reprised his Luke Skywalker role in the Star Wars sequel trilogy (2015–2019). He followed this with live-action roles in Brigsby Bear (2017), the Netflix miniseries The Fall of the House of Usher (2023), The Life of Chuck (2024), and The Long Walk (2025).

National Broadcast, Streaming & Classroom Distribution

Reaching 80 Million U.S. households, 77,000 Schools and Universities and 26,000 Public and Academic Libraries.

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Broadcast and streaming available on:

This national public television series is a nonprofit educational initiative of the Center for Civic Education and Capital Media Group, Inc (CMG). The Center for Civic Education renews democracy with each generation, through a time-tested civic education system grounded in our national network of scholars, educators, and supporters. Through high-quality instructional materials, teacher professional learning, iterative research of core programs, and student experiential learning, the Center provides transformative nonpartisan civic learning experiences that inspire long-term engagement and foster strong people and communities. More than 100 high school teachers throughout the United States will attend a summer institute and be introduced to "We Hold These Truths” documentary series as a supplemental teaching resource to accompany their implementation of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution in their classrooms.

Distribution of this five-part series includes TV broadcast on public television stations nationwide, streaming local PBS channels on Amazon Prime, on-demand viewing on the PBS.org website, on the PBS OTT channel, and both PBS Android and iOS apps.


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Strategic Distribution
reaching a national viewership

"Civic literacy needs a Susan G Komen style national campaign because the 'health' of our nation needs attention right now and this is our efforts toward that goal." said David Holden, Executive Producer. "The We Hold These Truths documentary series will address this important topic in an apolitical manner every American can enjoy and walk away empowered with greater civic knowledge."

80

MILLION
U.S. Households

40

MILLION
Teachers & Students

77000

Universities
& K-12 Schools

26000

Public & Academic
Libraries

Through a multi-channel distribution strategy, this series will reach 80 million U.S. households. The multi-channel strategy includes: TV broadcast, ad-free live-streaming, and on-demand via the PBS streaming apps and online at PBS.org. An addition to national TV distribution, this current and relevant civic series will become a supplemental educational classroom resource for the next 13 years of civic celebrations. The combined academic reach includes 40 million students and teachers inside 77,000 Schools & Universities, and 26,000 Public & Academic libraries.


Civic education isn't about memorizing dates for a school test. Its knowledge that helps you make informed decisions about the issues that affect our daily lives. Democracy depends on civic education.




View the One-Sheet for this series

This PDF provides a brief overview of the We Hold These Trughts documentary series.

ONE-SHEET PDF
Series Underwriting PDF
We Hold These Truths 13 year Sponsorship.

This documentary series adheres to all Public Televisions production and funding guidelines.

At the Center for Civic Education 501(c)(3), our mission is to cultivate an informed and thoughtful citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy. Today, many Americans look at our society and our political systems and see only division and dysfunction. The Center’s comprehensive approach to civic education provides a strong answer to this challenge, grounded in the principles, practice, and hope every citizen needs.

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