Over the coming weeks, you’ll see it everywhere. Flags on front porches. Fireworks. Social media posts. Banners that simply say, “Happy Birthday, America.”
But have you ever stopped to ask why this birthday is such a remarkable milestone? Many countries have histories that stretch back centuries—even millennia. Don’t China’s civilization and England’s monarchy go back thousands of years?
But culture and government are not the same thing. Governments come and go. Constitutions are rewritten. Revolutions replace old systems with new ones. That is what makes America’s 250th birthday so extraordinary.
Consider San Marino, a tiny microstate surrounded by Italy that is widely regarded as the world’s oldest surviving republic. It traces its traditional founding to A.D. 301, and parts of its constitutional system date to 1600.
The United States occupies its own remarkable place in history. Although America declared its independence in 1776, our current Constitution has governed the nation since 1789. Written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and put into operation the following year, it remains the world’s longest-surviving written national charter of government.
While it has been amended and improved over time, its fundamental framework has endured.
Consider the contrast. The United Kingdom’s political structure developed through a series of unions, including the creation of Great Britain in 1707 and the union of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801. China’s current government began in 1949 following the Communist Revolution. Their histories are ancient. Their present systems of government are not.
The accomplishment of America’s endurance becomes even more remarkable when we consider everything it has survived: a revolution, a civil war, world wars, economic depressions, political upheaval, social unrest, and profound cultural change.
That doesn’t mean we’ve always gotten it right. Far from it. Our history includes slavery, discrimination, injustice, and mistakes that have affected both our own citizens and people around the world.
While it is almost in vogue today to focus on our flaws or our current frustrations, I, for one, want to make sure we don’t overlook what has been accomplished because of this place we call home.
America helped establish the idea that individual rights come from our Creator, not from governments. America demonstrated that free people could govern themselves through elections rather than inheritance or force.
America played a decisive role in defeating fascism and defending freedom in the twentieth century. America has generated unprecedented innovation, opportunity, and prosperity that have benefited not only its own citizens but much of the world. And America has consistently led the world in philanthropy, humanitarian aid, and charitable giving.
None of this makes us perfect. But it does remind us that this nation has been a powerful force for good.
America’s birthday is not a celebration of perfection. It is a celebration of perseverance. A celebration of resilience. And a celebration of the enduring belief that, even when we get off course, tomorrow can be better than today.
For 250 years, Americans have inherited an imperfect nation and chosen to improve it rather than abandon it. That spirit of hope, determination, and self-government may be our greatest achievement of all.
Today we celebrate not our perfection, but our perseverance. Not our flawless history, but our resilience. And not merely our past accomplishments, but our continued resolve to build a brighter future together.
Happy 250th Birthday, America.
This reflection represents the author’s perspective on America’s 250th anniversary.
CRN202906-11480049
Shane Tenny, CFP®, is Managing Partner of Spaugh Dameron Tenny, where he helps high-net-worth individuals and families navigate complex financial decisions with clarity, structure, and confidence. Since joining the firm in 2000, Shane has worked with clients through major financial transitions, including career changes, liquidity events, retirement, and multigenerational planning. His approach combines comprehensive financial planning with a focus on behavioral finance, including advanced studies in Behavioral Economics through the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Shane is the author of Your Next Million, former host of the Prosperous Doc® Podcast, and a nationally recognized financial advisor, speaker, and educator.
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