On July 4, 2026, the United States will celebrate its semiquincentennial, or the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The America250 Project is a yearlong celebration of this historic event. One of the goals of America250 is to honor and capture the story of American life today for future generations. What aspects of American life and culture would you want to preserve for your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren? This article examines some of the current America250 initiatives and invites you to think about what the American story means to you.
Time Capsule
America250 is creating a time capsule. The America250 group is working with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Library of Congress, and the National Park Service. It will include letters and artifacts representing all three branches of government, and each of the 56 U.S. states and territories. The time capsule will also include cultural items, such as tokens from major national events and contributions from American students.
The goal of creating an official time capsule is to capture a lasting impression of what life is like in the United States today, so that people in the future may have a greater understanding of who Americans are at this exact moment in history. The capsule will be buried at Independence National Historical Park, located in Independence Mall in Philadelphia. It will remain sealed for 250 years, or until 2276, when the country celebrates its 500th birthday.
America’s Soundtrack
Have you ever noticed the way that a song can make you remember an important moment or era of your life? Because music is such a powerful force, America250 is also creating “America’s Soundtrack,” a collection of songs that have been important throughout American history. The soundtrack will include both classic anthems and contemporary hits. The chosen songs will represent different genres and cultural moments. Currently, three tracks have been released: “America” by Gloria and Emilio Estefan; “American Promise,” which is a new instrumental work by composer Karen LeFrak, and the classic “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” performed by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
Our American Story
As part of the America250 initiative, Americans all over the country will be invited to share their stories to collect and preserve the largest archive of American stories ever created. Our American Story tour is a year-long, cross-country journey. At each stop, there will be local events and engagement activities. Trained interviewers will prompt people to share their stories based around themes of identity, service, community, and personal legacy. Many of these stories will be preserved at the Library of Congress and will also be shared with the public through digital platforms. Citizens are invited to nominate a living friend, family member, or community member to share their story.
Now It’s Your Turn
Imagine that you are a member of the America250 Committee, charged with telling America’s story and making important decisions about how it will be preserved for future generations. Together with your class, you are charged with creating a “snapshot” of American life.
Time Capsule
When deciding what items you’d like to include in your time capsule, think about what American life is like today. Consider technology, clothing, and other things that change rapidly. What are some popular toys and trends? In the past few years, what are some events that have shaped our nation? What tokens can you include to represent those events? Think also about items that capture the way Americans are feeling at this moment in history: popular books and DVDs, journals, newspapers, political cartoons, and even protest signs can say a lot about our current American story.
America’s Soundtrack
What songs would you like to include that have special meaning or importance? Don’t just think about the songs you hear on the radio today; think about other types of music, and songs from other points in American history. What are some songs that you think have been especially important to the American story? Consider asking other people in your life, such as your parents and teachers, about what songs were important to them over time.
America’s Story
To capture America’s story, who would you like to interview? Think about your older relatives, teachers, and neighbors, especially people you know who have lived through an important historical moment or era. For example, people in their 50s today lived through the Challenger explosion and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. People in their 70s likely lived through the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights era. But it’s not only older Americans who have a story to tell. Young Americans have lived through important historical events too, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Once you know who you would like to interview, think about what questions you would like to ask. Maybe you would like to ask them where they were or what they were doing on a particular day in history. Or maybe you would prefer to have them describe what day-to-day life was like when they were young. Either way, think about how their answers might give Americans, today and in the future, a better understanding of what it means to be an American.