As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the reading of the Declaration of Independence, I thought it would be an ideal time to review some of our past endeavors and compare them to results from various data sets to see if we have been true to our word and if our efforts have been a success.

This review is Part 1 of 3 and should be viewed in the order as seen below.

The Establishment

A reminder of who helped create and lay the foundation for our government and establish law, order and independence followed by a list the states in order of statehood from thirteen original colonies to fifty united states.

Charters of Freedom

Transcriptions of the nation's founding documents and other declarations. These are the promises we made to secure the rights of the American people stemming from the simple truth that people are born with certain natural rights, including Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Self-Evident Truths

A bit of basic evidence and common sense that bring us to an overall understanding of what happens to civility when six generations of very different people live and work together in one nation.

The United Nations and International Relations

Some of our longest and closest relationships we have and the agreements we have with them.

Part 2 of this review will include more information about international relations and potential options for the future of the United States.

Here is a promise we made ourselves 250 years ago. Let us not forget.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

-The Declaration of Independence 1776