US Celebrates 250 Years of Independence, While Critics Say It Runs an Empire

This Fourth of July, Americans will mark the 250th anniversary of their country’s independence from the British empire with parades, speeches, fireworks, and barbecues. Yet many citizens remain unaware of when their own continental republic transformed into an empire itself. At the turn of the 20th century, the founding principle of the Declaration of Independence was betrayed, according to historians. This shift occurred despite impassioned opposition from some of the nation’s most prominent figures. The United States now operates an empire in all but name—a reality that most Americans do not recognize.