| Shuchismita Lohani |
July 2026 marks the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the United States of America. A nation born out of war, driven by the desire for equality and the pursuit of liberty. It has been 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed by the founding fathers as they embarked on their mission to create a nation built on democracy. This emphasis on democracy was a new phenomenon back then and thus it was known as the Great American Experiment, and just like a proper experiment, there have been successes, failures and many lessons learned throughout the history of this nation. Today, we have achieved this important milestone and yet, we are doing so during a time of great economic and social instability. In times like these it can be good to look back on the past in order to understand our present and explore the ways in which the United States of America has developed over the years and how it will continue to grow in the future.
America has always been a nation of contradictions. It was born out of a need for freedom and equality and yet, the same founding fathers who proclaimed those ideals owned slaves. The idea of owning people, keeping them from their freedom and not giving them a voice was a direct contradiction to the ideals of the American Experiment. Yet, that is the very foundation of this country. It is important to understand the origins of this nation to truly grasp why we are at our current junction. The experiment failed multiple times; many, due to similar contradictions. Even so, while there were contradictions, there were also differing opinions and beliefs. Not all founding fathers owned enslaved people and many were vehemently against slavery. These opposing ideals tore the nation apart as it underwent a civil war. A war which saw the end of the system of slavery. That was a moment when the experiment succeeded.
Throughout its history, America has failed and succeeded in many such experiments. It calls itself a nation of immigrants but throughout the years, immigrants have been treated poorly in America. Irish immigrants in the 1800s and Mexican immigrants in the 2020s have both been subjected to discrimination, poor working conditions and harsh immigration policies. This is yet another contradiction and one that has repeated itself throughout time. Today, at this pivotal point in our nation’s history, I implore everyone to look back on these contradictions, ideals and experiments and learn from them as doing so will give us an understanding of how we got to our present and what we can do to rectify failed experiments and avoid repeating mistakes. America is 250 years old and it is still growing. The great experiment continues and now it is our turn to contribute to it and make sure that we steer it towards success, with liberty and justice for all.
Writer:|
Shuchismita Lohani
Neuropsychologist, Socio-cultural Activist
Bangladeshi Expat in New York
