[Note: this will be the only episode in July due to a mid-summer break for travel and conferences. We will be back on August 1st!]

Since we celebrate the 4th of July every year (and it involves fireworks and time off work), it is easy to glance over the deeper meaning of the holiday. Beyond the fact that it marked the birth of the United States, why should we celebrate the 4th of July? What did and does it mean? And what lessons should we draw from it as we look to the future?

Here are 4 facts about the 4th of July and some reflections on America’s present and future.

1. It was improbable.

Links:

• Link to the state of abortion bans in the United States since the Dobbs case.