We urge our fellow Americans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. founding (known as the Semiquincentennial or America 250) to honor the nation’s core principles of liberty and self-government, reflect on its complex history and commit to advancing democracy. 

It serves as both a commemoration of past sacrifices and a forward-looking milestone.

This historic anniversary — celebrated nationally — serves several profound purposes, including following:

• Honoring founding ideals: It recognizes the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, an event that boldly announced a break with Britain and cemented foundational rights like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

• Reflecting on evolution: The milestone is a time to contemplate how those early ideals have evolved over two and a half centuries. It invites the country to acknowledge triumphs, while honestly confronting the consequences of its history, including past struggles for civil rights.

• Bridging divisions: Celebrations, ranging from large-scale exhibitions (such as the Smithsonian Institution programs) to local community gatherings, use shared history to overcome political polarization and unite Americans across differences.

Much to its credit, the United States maintains the same form of government and Constitution since its founding. At 250 years old, the American experiment demonstrates the enduring durability of a democratic republic.

Indeed, America 250 honors the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which first laid out the powerful ideas of liberty, self-government and equality. It allows the nation to evaluate how those ideals have been challenged, expanded, and applied over the last two centuries.

What’s more, the anniversary is used to celebrate America’s successes and recognize the halting-but-continuous struggles of different demographic groups who have used the Declaration’s principles to fight for civil rights, equality and justice

Ultimately, we strongly agree with conservative pundit and author Mark Levin’s argument that the America 250 milestone should serve as a nationwide pause to reflect on natural law, unalienable rights and the core philosophies laid out in the Declaration of Independence.