American History

In 2026, The United States of America will celebrate the 250th annversary of its founding on July 4th 1776.

As far as nations go, the US is quite a recent and unique one. The many nations of the Old World have legacies that span millenea.

At most, the events leading to the founding of the modern United States can be traced to the 1500s-1600s; as a byproduct of European colonization on the continent.

Regardless, in that short amount of time (250 years) the United States managed to become one of the most influential nations of contemporary history - pioneering a consitutional republic that serves as the basis for most modern democracies today. Despite the many (many) grievences we may have with current events in the United States, its achievements in such a remarklably short amount of time can be considered “great”… in my opinion.

Namely, for the purposes of geneaological research, we can be quite thankful our lineage can be traced in America because of the US Census. The United States Census is special because it is one of the oldest and most comprehensive population counts in the world, mandated by the U.S. Constitution itself - it is a foundational part of American democracy.

Conducted every ten years since 1790, the census directly determines political representation by deciding how seats in the House of Representatives are apportioned among the states. It also guides the distribution of hundreds of billions of federal dollars for schools, infrastructure, healthcare, and other public services.

Beyond its governmental role, the census provides an invaluable historical record and a detailed snapshot of the American people 📸