PoliticsWhite House Roasted for Claiming the American Revolution Started in 1776: 'Open the Schools!'
The White House was mocked online after a post claimed the American Revolution began in 1776 instead of 1775.
March 4 2026, Published 3:17 p.m. ET
The White House faced ridicule online after a social media post appeared to get a basic American history fact wrong.
In a message shared on X, the official White House account referenced "the Revolution that began in 1776."
The White House's Tweet
People mocked the White House after a history mistake went viral.
"The Revolution that began in 1776 has not ended — it still continues, because the flames of Liberty and Independence still burns in the hearts of EVERY American Patriot," the tweet read. "And our future will be bigger, better, brighter, bolder, and more glorious than ever before."
Social media users quickly pointed out the American Revolution began in 1775.
'Not Surprising'
Commenters slammed the White House for the apparent historical mix-up.
But critics were quick to point out that the American Revolutionary War actually began in 1775, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The Declaration of Independence was adopted the following year.
The apparent mix-up sparked a flood of reactions online, with users mocking the administration for the historical error.
"The fact that the White House doesn't know when the American Revolution started is, sadly, not surprising," a user shared.
"Good God... 1776 was the Declaration of Independence. OPEN THE SCHOOLS!!!" one person wrote.
Another user slammed the staff behind the account, adding, "The staffing at the WH is just embarrassing. I thought [Donald] Trump's first term was bad. Sad that they don’t know simple dates in American History, but American History will certainly know them, and not kindly…"
Some commenters said even people outside the United States recognized the mistake.
"I'm Canadian and even I knew this. They should sit down and watch some YouTube documentaries lol," one user joked.
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More Social Media Backlash
Some users joked that even non-Americans knew the correct date.
Others noted that verifying the information would have taken very little effort.
"The really sad part is checking 'the facts' before they post is too easy, just highlight what was typed and click 'search.' Took me 3 seconds to know it was April 19, 1775," another person wrote.
Several critics also speculated about who might have written the message in the first place.
"Which 20-year-old staffer wrote that ‘official White House’ message?" one user asked.
Another commenter quipped, "White House X account is run by interns. The kind that get 'locker room talk' headlines."
Others accused the administration of ignorance when it comes to American history.
"It is very sad that those individuals are surrounded by the history and cannot absorb it because they are ignorant and blind to facts," one person wrote.
Another user added, "Hope someone put a community note on this!"
Critics also questioned who wrote the message on the official account.
Some critics went even further, suggesting the mistake reflected a broader lack of historical knowledge within the administration.
"It's sad beyond sad. In this case, I don't believe they are trying to rewrite history — they simply don't know history," one commenter wrote. "That NO ONE at the highest level even picked up this mistake is alarming and speaks volumes on so many levels."
"The U.S. is run by a bunch of know-nothings," another user concluded.
