This Independence Day marks the 235th birthday of the United States of America. The Fourth of July is a day to celebrate our country’s heritage and the ideals upon which it was founded, as well as to resolve ourselves to keep the spirit of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness alive for ourselves and our future generations. Recently, we have seen a reawakening of conservative women in this country who have stepped up in this role. But this is not a new phenomenon. Women have been a driving force in America’s rise to prominence since the founding of our nation.

The very first tea party to be organized by women was the Edenton Tea Party — in 1774. Today’s Tea Party movement is led by many of the stars of our film Fire from the Heartland: Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, Deneen Borelli, Sonnie Johnson, Dana Loesch, Michelle Malkin, Jenny Beth Martin, Michelle Moore and Jamie Radtke, all of whom have taken an active role in the Tea Party rallies. Much like the “Ladys of Edenton,” these women are standing up to an intrusive government that has overstepped its bounds.

The cast of Fire from the Heartland inherited this grand tradition from fearless female patriots who fought for our independence from Great Britain:

— Abigail Adams provided essential counsel to her husband as he served in the Continental Congresses, which shaped our founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence.

— Mercy Otis Warren, along with her husband and Samuel Adams, helped form the Committees of Correspondence, becoming an influential author advocating for independence.

— Molly Pitcher courageously took up the duty of loading her husband’s cannon when he fell on the battlefield, earning an appointment as a noncommissioned officer by General George Washington himself.

— Martha Washington went to live with her husband on the frontlines in battlefield encampments, including at Valley Forge, supporting the cause and boosting troop morale.

— Lydia Darrah risked her life to pass information behind British enemy lines, helping to turn the tide of the American Revolution.

While the Revolutionary War is no longer raging, the fire in the American heartland continues to burn bright in the hearts of conservative women.

From the founding mothers of our great republic, to Clare Boothe Luce and Phyllis Schlafly, to today’s “Mama Grizzlies” like Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann, women are the backbone of our nation, passing our ideals and traditions on from one generation to another. Learn more about this legacy of passion, courage and grit by watching Fire from the Heartland this Fourth of July.

God Bless America and Happy Independence Day!

David N. Bossie is the president of Citizens United.