America turns 250 this year. The celebrations are already underway — and so are the questions.

President Donald Trump has put himself at the center of the anniversary in Washington, DC, with hype-filled plans for festivals and fireworks. Nationally, the lead-up has turned into a roiling conversation about what America even represents these days — how we all grapple with American identity, politics, and competing visions for the country.

Vox’s journalists have been asking those questions, too, and turning up surprising insights about American history, smart ideas about our future, and even some unheralded good news about the present. The stories below explore America’s quarter-millennium moment from different angles, looking at the forces shaping American life at 250 and beyond.

• 5 books that define America — for better and for worse
• America’s housing was built for a world we no longer live in
• The US is better off than it was in 1976. So why does it feel worse?
• Will Trump ruin America’s birthday?
• Trump’s Freedom 250 fest crashout proves he’s the only true MAGA celebrity
• Heather Cox Richardson grades America

Author: Source Author

Source: Vox.