America’s founding fathers were remarkably young when they launched the American experiment. Alexander Hamilton was 21, Betsy Ross was 24, James Monroe was 18, and Thomas Jefferson was 33 when he penned the Declaration of Independence.

Founding Principles

The signers of the Declaration were committing treason against the most powerful empire in the world, a crime they almost certainly would have paid for with their lives had their revolution not succeeded. They created a new, self-governing nation, with the chief author of the Constitution, James Madison, being 36 years old at the Constitutional Convention, and Alexander Hamilton being 30.

Erika Kirk’s husband Charlie was 18 when he founded Turning Point USA, empowering the youth of the nation to embrace traditional American values. He spent his time asking what responsibility God had for him, and by the grace of God, he was able to create something that will endure long beyond his 31 years on this earth.

American Sacrifice

Each generation of young people has faced the test of preserving, improving, and reviving the grand republic entrusted to them. The soldiers of the Civil War were mostly in their early twenties, and many were under eighteen. The average soldier storming Omaha Beach was only 22 years old.

America’s story has always resonated deeply with Erika Kirk, who remains optimistic about the country’s future. She sees how on fire young men and women are for their faith and traditional American values, striving to contribute to something larger than themselves.

The first 250 years of America represent the greatest 250 years of achievement by any people in human history. The next 250 years will bring challenges of their own, and it is up to America’s young men and women to continue to embrace the same faith, courage, responsibility, and sacrifice that built this nation.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.