This Independence Day, America celebrates a remarkable milestone: 250 years as an established nation. In a world where governments often rise and fall within generations, the 250-year achievement is far more extraordinary than many people realize.
I’m old enough to remember America’s Bicentennial. I was 8 years old in 1976, and our nation celebrated in grand fashion. Communities across the country held events and parades, schools devoted lessons to coincide with the Bicentennial, and the American flag flew proudly from nearly every home.
Even today, we often think of the United States as a relatively young country compared to much of the world. Many of our larger cities didn’t truly begin to grow until after the Civil War. Despite the relative newness of many of our buildings and institutions, the reality is that the U.S. is, by modern terms, 1 of the world’s greatest and oldest continuously governed nations. In fact, fewer than 10 modern countries existing today have maintained broadly continuous systems of government for more than 250 years.
Have there been societies that have endured longer? Of course. But societies and governments are not the same thing. Throughout history, governments have risen and fallen, constitutions have been rewritten, revolutions have overturned political systems, and monarchies have been replaced by republics and dictatorships.
France, for example, has experienced multiple republics, empires, and monarchies. China transitioned from imperial dynasties to communist rule. And, like our own Revolutionary War that freed us from the oppressive policies of King George III, those changes were rarely peaceful.
While European societies have endured for centuries, their political histories have often been marked more by instability and conflict than long-term continuity. National borders shifted repeatedly through wars, dynastic marriages, revolutions, religious conflicts, and imperial expansion. Kingdoms, empires, and states regularly rose, fell, merged, or fragmented. Even major modern nations such as Germany and Italy did not unify until the 19th century. 2 world wars and the collapse of several empires reshaped the continent again in the 20th century. Modern Europe is comparatively stable today, but historically it has been 1 of the world’s most politically fluid and contested regions.
The United States, on the other hand, has enjoyed 1 of the longest sustained periods of constitutional stability in modern history. Why has that been possible?
The answer begins with the U.S. Constitution. While our system is not perfect, it wisely balances power among the 3 branches of government – the executive, legislative, and judicial – while also dividing authority between federal, state, and local governments. The Bill of Rights further protects personal freedoms that much of the world has historically lacked. Freedom of speech, religion, and assembly remain essential liberties that help preserve both our democracy and our national character.
Our founding fathers, many of them immigrants or descendants of immigrants, built a nation rooted in liberty, self-government, and individual freedom. They created a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. In doing so, they laid the foundation for what remains the greatest country on Earth. May it endure for another 250 years and beyond.
This month’s column may not directly relate to the work we do to keep your electric cooperative consistently operating, but America’s upcoming 250th celebration inspired me to reflect on how fortunate we are to live in a nation with such enduring stability and freedom. I hope you all have a happy and safe 4th of July!