Few documents have captured the soul of America and united generations like the Declaration of Independence and the defiant ideals it asserts. When the Founding Fathers put pen to parchment 250 years ago, their concerns focused on the words and ideas the document embraced. Within a few decades, though, as the document's ink began to fade, the race to protect and preserve this critical part of American history began.

Historian Michael Auslin traces the story of how this fragile scroll has survived for a quarter of a millennium, bringing to life the physical history of America’s founding document from its near-miraculous rescue during the War of 1812 to the mystery of its whereabouts during the Civil War, its secret journey in World War II, and the work to preserve it from the toll of time, ending with the James Bond–level security and space-age technology that now keep it safe for future generations.

His new book, National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America (Simon & Schuster), is available for purchase.

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• Purchase your copy of National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America by Michael Auslin here.
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