American Heritage is about the people, ideas, and places that made the country what it is, including your own family's story. You'll read founding documents, explore local history, and talk with people who lived history. It helps you see how the past still shapes your life today.
Why it's worth it
History isn't just in textbooks. It's the name of your street, the monument in the park, and the stories your relatives tell at holidays. American Heritage has you read the words that started the country, sit down with people who lived through history, and dig into your own family's past. You'll come away able to explain why things are the way they are, and with stories you can pass down yourself.
Start this week
- Read the first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence tonight and underline one sentence you think still matters today.
- Ask your Scoutmaster for the name of an American Heritage counselor, and send them a short message with a parent copied to set up a first meeting.
- Ask an older relative or family friend one question about where your family lived two or three generations ago, and write down the answer.
- Look up historic markers or sites within a short drive of home and pick one you'd like to visit with your family or patrol.
Requirements · 6
Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab).
- Requirement 1
Read the Declaration of Independence; rewrite the "self-evident truths" passage (through "new Guards for their future security") in simple words of your own, share it with your counselor, and discuss why the Declaration matters to all Americans
Tip: Read the Declaration a section at a time with a parent. Talk about which ideas still matter today and where you see them in the news.
For example: Pick the phrase "all men are created equal" and talk about how its meaning has grown since 1776, through changes like the end of slavery and women's right to vote, and where people still debate it today.
- Requirement 2
People and groups who shaped America. Choose 2 of 4
Tips for this section: If you choose a veteran interview, ask a relative or a local veterans group. Write your questions ahead of time and thank them afterward.
Example for this section: If you choose a veteran interview, sit down with a parent present and ask where they served, what a normal day was like, and what they want young people to know. Record it only with their permission and share a summary with your counselor.
- Requirement 2a
Pick a political leader (such as a president or senator) and a private citizen (such as a writer or religious leader) from U.S. history; learn what each achieved and compare their contributions
- Requirement 2b
With counselor approval, pick an organization that brought positive change to American society; learn why it pushed for the change and how it helped, and discuss its links to America's past
- Requirement 2c
With counselor approval, interview two U.S. military veterans about their experiences and what they feel they accomplished
- Requirement 2d
With counselor approval, interview three local people of different ages and jobs about what America means to them, what makes it special, and which traditions should be kept
- Requirement 3
Current events, symbols, and family history
Tips for this section: Ask grandparents or older relatives about where your family came from. A simple family tree on poster board is a fun way to share it.
Example for this section: Your family history could be a simple three-generation tree with a short note on each person: where they were born, what work they did, and one story about them. Mark spots where you don't know yet and keep asking.
- Requirement 3a
Pick a U.S. topic in the news now, describe it to your counselor, and explain how America's past events and values connect to or shape it
- Requirement 3b
For the flag, Pledge of Allegiance, Great Seal, national motto, and national anthem: describe how each was adopted, any changes since, and how it still influences Americans
- Requirement 3c
Research your family history and how events in American history affected your family (including why they immigrated, if they did); share it with your counselor
- Requirement 4
Local history. Choose 2 of 5
Tips for this section: Check your town's historical society, old cemeteries, or historic markers. Take photos and notes about what happened there.
Example for this section: Visit a historic house, courthouse, or battlefield with your family. Take notes on who lived or worked there, what happened, and why it was saved. Then compare it with what the marker or sign says.
- Requirement 4a
Explain what the National Register of Historic Places is and how a property qualifies; map local points of historic interest, note any Register properties, and walk your counselor through the map
- Requirement 4b
Research a historically important event in or near your area and visit the site if you can; tell your counselor about it, its local impact, and how the place looked then compared with now
- Requirement 4c
Learn how, when, and why your town or neighborhood began and which ethnic, national, or racial groups took part; find out how it has changed in the last 50 years and try to explain why
- Requirement 4d
Take an active role in a program about a person or event in American history, then report to your counselor on the program, your part, and the subject
- Requirement 4e
Visit a local historic trail or walk; share what you learned with your counselor, discuss why the place matters, and explain why it might qualify for the National Register
- Requirement 5
History through film, books, or music. Choose 1 of 3
Tips for this section: Pick a film, biography, or set of songs about a time period you find interesting. Jot down what surprised you.
Example for this section: Read a biography of someone like Harriet Tubman, Benjamin Franklin, or Sacagawea, then write down three choices they made that changed their lives and one question you'd ask them if you could.
- Requirement 5a
With approval from your counselor and a parent or guardian, watch two movies set in a period of U.S. history; tell your counselor how accurately each shows the events and the people
- Requirement 5b
With counselor approval, read a biography of someone who contributed to America's heritage; share what you admire and don't admire about them and whether their contribution was positive or negative
- Requirement 5c
Listen to popular songs from different periods of U.S. history; share five with your counselor (lyrics are fine if no recording) and describe how each reflects how people felt at the time
- Requirement 6
Discuss American heritage careers with your counselor; choose one you find interesting and explain how you would prepare for it, including the education and training it requires
Tip: Think about jobs like museum curator, park ranger, historian, or archivist. Ask someone in one of those jobs how they got started.
Places to visit
Ask an adult to set it up, and go with your family, den, patrol, or crew.
A historic site or house museum
Standing in the actual rooms or on the actual ground makes history feel real in a way a book can't.
How: Have an adult check the site's website for tour times, or call and ask whether a guide can lead a short tour for a Scout group.
A local historical society or archive
Volunteers there know your town's stories and can show old maps, photos, and newspapers.
How: A parent or your counselor calls ahead to ask about visiting hours and whether someone can show you records for a project.
A veterans organization post
Members often welcome Scouts and can help you find a veteran to interview.
How: Have an adult contact the post and explain the badge. Plan the interview for a time when a parent can be there with you.
Where it can lead
- HistorianResearches the past and writes or teaches about it for schools, museums, and the government.
- ArchivistCares for old documents, photos, and records so people can still use them a hundred years from now.
- Park ranger or interpreterLeads tours and tells the stories of historic parks and monuments.
- Museum curatorChooses and researches the objects that go into exhibits.
- Historic preservation carpenterRepairs old buildings using traditional methods; often learned through apprenticeships and trade programs.
Ask yourself
- Which person from history would you most like to talk with for an hour, and what would you ask?
- What surprised you about your own family's story?
- Which ideas from the Declaration of Independence do you see people living out, or arguing about, today?
- How did talking with someone who lived through history change how you think about that time?
- What story from your town or family do you want to make sure doesn't get forgotten?
Good questions to ask a veteran, an older relative, or a local historian
- What was daily life like when you were my age?
- What big event in history do you remember living through, and how did it feel at the time?
- What's something from back then that you wish people still did today?
- What's one thing about our town's past that most people don't know?
- Is there a family object or photo with a story behind it?
Helpful reads
- Earning a merit badge, step by step, From picking a badge to getting the final signature: how to find a counselor, set up meetings safely, work the requirements, and keep your progress., Youth · Families · 6 min read
- Contacting counselors, experts, and organizations, Email and phone scripts, who to ask for, how to follow up, and how to say thanks, with a parent copied every time., Youth · Families · 7 min read
- Choosing your next merit badge, How to pick a badge you'll actually finish: start with what you care about, balance Eagle-required and just-for-fun badges, and make the most of camp., Youth · Families · 6 min read
For leaders & parents
- Plan a troop visit to a local historic site or museum and let scouts lead parts of the tour.
- Connect scouts with a local veterans organization for interviews.
People & places that can help
- Merit badge counselor — Talk with them early; they can explain what's expected.
- National Archives (opens in a new tab) — View the founding documents and many historic records online.
- National Park Service (opens in a new tab) — Historic sites and landmarks across the country.
- Local historical society — Knows the history of your town and its landmarks.
- Library of Congress (opens in a new tab) — Historic photos, maps, newspapers, and recordings you can search for free.
- National Register of Historic Places (opens in a new tab) — Find officially recognized historic places near where you live.
- Bill of Rights Institute (opens in a new tab) — Short readings and activities on the founding documents and the people behind them.
Pairs well with
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Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.