Just as July 4th celebrations are set to begin, ACTA's new report, "No U.S. History? How College History Departments Leave the United States out of the Major," reveals that less than 1/3 of the nations leading colleges and universities require students pursuing a degree in history to take a single course in American history. Only 23 undergraduate history programs at the "U.S. News & World Report's" top 25 national universities, top 25 public institutions, and top 25 liberal arts colleges require a single U.S. history class. And many of the same institutions that do not require history majors to take a course on United States history do specify that they must complete coursework on areas outside the United States. "Historical illiteracy is the inevitable consequence of lax college requirements, and that ignorance leads to civic disempowerment," observed Michael Poliakoff, ACTA's president-elect. "A democratic republic cannot thrive without well-informed citizens and leaders." [This report was prepared by the staff of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), primarily ACTA's president, Dr. Michael Poliakoff, and Drew Lakin, with the assistance of Marya Myers.]