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The United States has a fairly long and established history for a state, long enough that the country is approaching its 250th anniversary in just a few years. Much has changed in that time, while other things have failed to progress far enough. To look at this history of continuity and change, we decided to dive into the American centennial and bicentennial celebrations, as well as the history surrounding them.

Although 1876 and 1976 seem distant, the two years actually have a fair bit in common. Civil rights, nefarious government overreach, economic downturn, labor militancy and more were in the forefront of American minds during both periods. Whether in the Gilded Age or in the period dubbed by some "American Glasnost," the United States continued to battle demons along similar lines, and the powers that be hoped that the festivities surrounding the country's birthday would bring to mind the glorious past and future rather than the lackluster present.

But whether the celebrations in Philadelphia were framed by the World's Fair or a giant concert, whether they were presided over by Emperor Pedro II of Brazil or Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, the celebrations could not drown out the grittiness of lived experience. Join us as we put that grit under a microscope and explore the bacteria found within.