Because it’s America’s birthday, we decided in full ecumenical spirit to invite a few conservatives to the party. They are, as you’ll see on the facing page, all respected thinkers, scholars, and jurists. And their answers are interesting—they give Dr. King his proper due—and even surprising (how did they omit Phyllis Schlafly?). As the widely respected former circuit court Judge J. Michael Luttig wrote us: “This is an ingenious idea for celebrating the 250th Anniversary of America’s Founding. My lists are American lists, not ‘conservative’ lists. And no, I was not surprised that they often tacked more liberal.”The Greatest Moments in American History1. Constitution and Bill of Rights2. Declaration of IndependenceT-3. Victory in World War IIT-3. Abolition of slavery/Thirteenth Amendment5. Lee surrenders at AppomattoxT-6. Moon landingT-6. Victory in the Cold WarThe Worst Moments in American History1. 9/112. Pearl Harbor3. Trail of Tears/Indian removal4. Japanese internmentT-5. Lincoln assassinationT-5. Southern secessionT-5. Arrival and institutionalization of slaveryThe Best PresidentsT-1. Abraham LincolnT-1. Ronald ReaganT-1. George Washington4. Thomas Jefferson5. Franklin Roosevelt6. Calvin CoolidgeThe Worst Presidents1. Andrew Johnson2. James BuchananT-3. Joe BidenT-3. Donald TrumpT-3. Woodrow WilsonT-6. Warren G. HardingT-6. Franklin PierceThe Most Influential Founding FathersT-1. Alexander HamiltonT-1. Thomas JeffersonT-1. James MadisonT-2. John AdamsT-2. Benjamin FranklinT-2. George WashingtonThe Most Consequential Politicians Who Never Became President1. Alexander Hamilton2. William Jennings Bryan3. Henry ClayT-4. Benjamin FranklinT-4. Barry GoldwaterT-4. John MarshallMost Important Americans in Public Life Who Never Held Elected Office1. Martin Luther King Jr.2. Thomas EdisonT-3. Frederick DouglassT-3. Henry Ford5. Jonathan EdwardsThe Images That Define American HistoryT-1. Iwo Jima flag raisingT-1. Washington Crossing the DelawareT-3. Moon landingT-3. Statue of LibertyThe Most Important Court Cases1. Brown v. Board of Education2. Marbury v. Madison3. Dred Scott v. Sandford4. McCulloch v. Maryland5. Obergefell v. HodgesThe Most Important WomenT-1. Susan B. AnthonyT-1. Eleanor Roosevelt3. Sandra Day O’ConnorT-4. Frances PerkinsT-4. Elizabeth Cady StantonT-4. Harriet Beecher StoweT-4. Harriet TubmanThe Most Important People of Color1. Frederick Douglass2. Martin Luther King Jr.3. Barack Obama4. Jackie Robinson5. Booker T. WashingtonThe Most Important Works of Art in American History1. Adventures of Huckleberry FinnT-2. CasablancaT-2. The Wizard of Oz11-way tie for fourth placeThe Liberal Mount Rushmore1. Franklin D. Roosevelt2. Martin Luther King Jr.T-3. Lyndon B. JohnsonT-3. John F. KennedyFrederick Douglass, Barack Obama, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Theodore Roosevelt each received substantial support.Conservative ContributorsRichard Brookhiser, National ReviewVeronique de Rugy, Mercatus CenterRobert George, Princeton UniversityAllen Guelzo, University of FloridaDouglas Holtz-Eakin, American Action ForumR. Glenn Hubbard, Columbia UniversityJ. Michael Luttig, circuit court judge (ret.)Harvey Mansfield, Harvard UniversityMichael McConnell, Stanford UniversityHenry Olsen, Ethics and Public Policy CenterAmity Shlaes, Coolidge FoundationStephanie Slade, ReasonEugene Volokh, UCLA (emeritus)