Past as Prologue: America at 250

Daintry Duffy Zaterka '88

In his new book, Ambassador David McKean ’72 looks at American progress through the lens of its jubilee years.

As America marks its 250th anniversary, Ambassador David McKean ’72 is offering a timely perspective on the “American experiment” in a new book co-written with historian M. Todd Bennett. The Flag Was Still There: A History of the American Experiment in Five Anniversaries (May 2026) traces the evolving themes of innovation, presidential politics, and the pursuit of rights and equality through the lens of each of America’s jubilee celebrations, from the country’s birth in 1776 through 1826, 1876, 1926, and 1976. As hinted in the book’s title, McKean and Bennett’s analysis reveals a country that, despite challenges and missteps, is still earnestly striving to live up to the aspirations of its founders. We recently spoke with Ambassador McKean to discover what he gleaned from researching and writing his new book, and what it suggests for America at 250.

It’s fashionable to say that we’re living in unprecedented times. However, the 1926 sesquicentennial came on the heels of a global pandemic and a rise in nationalism and anti-immigration sentiment. Sounds familiar. Were you surprised by how cyclical certain debates and fears in American life turned out to be?

There is an old saying that history doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. It’s true that there are some striking similarities between 1926 and today. One of the most interesting and, I guess surprising things in researching the book was how certain themes were present in some, or all, of the fifty-year celebrations.

I’ll give you an example; people today think our politics are too crass, but presidential elections, in particular, have been controversial from the very beginning. If you go back to 1826, during John Quincy Adams’s presidency, he was deeply unpopular because many people believed that two years earlier he had engaged in a “corrupt bargain” to steal the election from Andrew Jackson. Then you move ahead to 1876 and the contest between Samuel Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes; again you have a disputed election— many claimed Hayes’s ultimate victory stemmed from a “corrupt bargain” to roll back Reconstruction in exchange for Democratic votes.

Fast forward to 1976, and the election comes right after the Watergate scandal. Many Americans believed that Gerald Ford had pardoned Richard Nixon in exchange for his resignation, another kind of “corrupt bargain.” Ford, of course, ultimately lost to Jimmy Carter that year. Incidentally, the 2020 and 2024 elections were probably the freest and fairest election in our nation’s history. So, presidential politics is a good example of how history can appear to move in cycles–or at least how it rhymes.

Did researching the book change your understanding of what progress means in American culture?

Progress can obviously be defined in all kinds of ways–there is economic progress, political progress, and there is cultural progress. Economic progress, specifically innovation, has played a huge role in this country throughout its history. For instance, you see the canal system celebrated in 1826, and this year everyone is talking about artificial intelligence.

And while there are currently strong headwinds, our politics today are so much more inclusive. Remember that it wasn’t until 1870 and passage of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution that African Americans had the right to vote. And women were not permitted to vote until 1920 when the 19th amendment was ratified. Our nation has always been culturally diverse, but it has taken decades to celebrate that diversity. So, researching the book made me appreciate even more the progress our country has made as well as the need to preserve those gains.

Is the fact that we’re still debating the meaning of democracy 250 years later a sign of the failure or the strength of the idea?

Our democracy is rooted in the Declaration of Independence, which is an aspirational document. The notion that “all men are created equal and endowed with certain unalienable rights” is something that no other country had articulated as the foundation for its government. That’s why historians refer to “the American experiment.” We have achieved so much in this country, on every level and in every way imaginable. But the work is ongoing.

Ken Burns, who recently produced the marvelous PBS series The American Revolution, was asked a similar question, and he said that while he is very worried about the immediate future, he is optimistic in the long run. I agree. Our country is very divided at the moment, and we face enormous challenges. But I feel confident that in the long run we will move forward in important and constructive ways.

After writing six books on American history and politics, what historical event or character really captured your imagination this time around?

I’ve always been interested in the relationship between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. It’s an extraordinary story of collaboration, alienation, and ultimately, respect and friendship. Jefferson writes the Declaration of Independence, but Adams is the one who gets it passed in the Congress. The Declaration would not have happened without both of them being as committed as they were. They were good friends in 1776, but at a certain point, around 1800, they became bitter antagonists.

For nearly two decades, they didn’t even speak to one another, and then suddenly, in 1815, they began this extraordinary correspondence. And then on July 4, 1826, they both died within hours of each other. They were the last of their generation, and it’s really a watershed moment. A new generation–most of whom were not even born in 1776–was now responsible for this nation.

Every 50 years, we have this moment where the American people reflect on our past, on what it means to be an American, and on what we hope for the future. I’m hopeful that in 2026, our book can be a helpful catalyst for that moment.

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