On July Fourth, how Americans see their country and their democracy

On the Fourth of July, Americans celebrate the nation’s birthday and reflect on the values that have sustained the country in the nearly 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Americans’ views vary when it comes to how they see the United States’ standing in the world and the state of its democracy. Here are key findings from Pew Research Center surveys:

1) Many Americans believe the U.S. is one of the greatest nations in the world. In a July 2021 survey, 52% of Americans said that the U.S. is “one of the greatest countries in the world, along with some others,” and 23% said the U.S. “stands above all other countries in the world.” Roughly a quarter (23%) said “there are other countries that are better than the U.S.”