The future of the American experiment, and the life of the democratic republic that is the United States, is at risk. American citizens have endangered the republic by failing to educate new generations of citizens about civic responsibility. As early as the nineteenth century, the tension between individualism and American republican principles was evident. Engaging in civic discourse is hard work and is more difficult when means for opting out are easily available. In this article, the authors discuss how civic education can be a way to reactivate American civic life. The authors also recommend a curriculum that engenders affection for the nation's history and the civic responsibility of individual citizens.