🐴 22-year-old George Washington's epic failure (it didn't define him)

IN THIS EDITION:

🍎 The catastrophic blunder that sparked the French and Indian War🍎 How Angel Studios is bypassing the Hollywood gatekeepers🍎 Win a Ford F-250 by pre-ordering movie tickets (seriously)

Due to popular demand, applications for the '25-'26 school year are now open through July 6. After that, you’ll have until July 15 to complete your enrollment.

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Benton Crane, producer of Young Washington (July 4, 2026), shared a rarely-told story:

At 22, George Washington accidentally triggered a global war:

A post shared by OpenEd (@openedhq)

Thankfully, that's not where the story ends.

Hear the full conversation on this week’s special 4th of July podcast.

1. YOU–THE AUDIENCE—ARE NOW GREENLIGHTING MOVIES - Angel Studios' "Young Washington" is slated to hit 2,000+ theaters on July 4, 2026, but not because Hollywood greenlit it.

As Benton explains:

"Angel Studios is putting the power of the gatekeepers in the viewers' hands. Hollywood is run by a few people deciding what gets made. Angel Studios lets viewers decide what stories should be told."

Their 1.2 million "Angel Guild" members vote on projects globally. Ticket pre-sales opened today—a year early—to demonstrate audience demand.

2. THE MOST AMERICAN GIVEAWAY EVER -

Pre-order your movie ticket, and you could win a restored Ford F-250 in honor of America's 250th birthday.

Today only: Each ticket earns 97 (!) bonus entries. (Because nothing says "American independence" like voting with your wallet and maybe winning a classic American truck.)

1. Be Washington Interactive Experience - Mount Vernon's free online game puts middle and high schoolers in Washington's shoes, making real decisions he faced with advisors providing historical context. Navigate crises like the Whiskey Rebellion and learn history through decision-making rather than memorization.

2. Liberty's Kids (Free on YouTube) - 40 episodes of historically accurate Revolutionary War content featuring young Washington, narrated by Walter Cronkite as Benjamin Franklin.

3. Tuttle Twins American History Books - Age-appropriate, honest portrayals of American history including Washington's real story.

OpenEd Daily is taking a short break (weekly Friday issues continue). Here's a mid-year roundup.

Got suggestions for blogs or resources to be featured? Email Charlie at [email protected].

That’s all for this week!

– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)