As the United States prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a new national survey paints a portrait of a country that remains proud of its history while questioning its present and worrying about its future.
The Elon University America250 Poll found that 68% of Americans say they are proud to be American, and 65% said there is no other country where they would rather live. Nearly 80% agreed that the United States plays a uniquely important role in world history. At the same time, 73% rated the health of American democracy as only fair or poor, and 52% said the nation is not successfully living up to its founding ideals.
“We found several points of optimism among Americans, including pride in being American and belief that the United States has a uniquely important role to play in world history,” Jason Husser, director of the Elon University Poll, wrote in the survey’s analysis.
The survey of 1,000 adults found Americans sharply divided over the nation’s condition. Nearly 7 in 10 respondents said the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be more disappointed than proud if they could see the state of American democracy today. Americans also expressed little confidence in political leadership. Sixty-eight percent said elected officials over the past decade have been worse than leaders of earlier generations. Forty percent said no major political party often represents their views.
Many respondents described a country living through a period of instability. Thirty-nine percent said current times are much more turbulent than average, while another 31% said they are somewhat more turbulent than average. One-quarter said they feel the nation is on the brink of a major crisis every day, while another 15% said they feel that way weekly.
“I am NOT proud to be an American now,” one social media user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “In fact, I am ashamed.
Yet Americans have not abandoned belief in the country’s opportunities. When asked about the American Dream, 47% said it is true that people who work hard generally succeed regardless of the circumstances into which they were born. Thirty-four percent disagreed, while 19% were undecided.
The poll also asked Americans to identify the greatest presidents in U.S. history. Abraham Lincoln finished first with 26%, followed by Barack Obama at 17%, George Washington at 12% and Donald Trump at 11%. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan each received 9%, while John F. Kennedy drew 6%.
When respondents were asked which public figure best exemplified American democracy’s highest ideals, Lincoln again led the list at 20%. Obama ranked second at 11%, followed by Washington and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., each at 9%.
Americans were also asked when democracy most fully lived up to its highest ideals. The Civil Rights Movement topped the list at 16%, followed by World War II at 11% and the end of slavery at 8%. Four percent pointed to Obama’s election as president, placing it among the most frequently cited moments in the survey.
Looking ahead, respondents expressed more pessimism than optimism about the next 50 years. Majorities predicted the country would become more politically divided, less economically equal and less influential globally by 2076. Only 36% said they were confident political institutions would make mostly good decisions on major issues over the next half century.
Still, researchers found an unexpected source of hope. Americans under 30 consistently expressed more optimism about the nation’s future than older generations, even while showing less attachment to traditional expressions of patriotism and national identity.
“One of the most surprising findings in the survey was that Gen Z was among the most optimistic generations about America’s future,” Husser said. “This optimism stands out at a time when many Americans are expressing concerns about democracy and the nation’s direction.”
