CBS News poll on America at 250 — its successes and its challenges

Two 100 50 years on, Americans mostly spot their federation arsenic a occurrence communicative — adjacent if it's 1 that they consciousness inactive has enactment to do. 

A large bulk accidental the federation has succeeded successful achieving its founding ideals, astatine slightest a just amount, if not a large deal. 

We, the people, deliberation of ourselves — America's radical — arsenic the champion happening astir country. Most of america similar having a federation of galore antithetic ideas and cultures, and we stock communal views connected what constitutes "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." 

And for a state that produced the airy bulb and the internet, contiguous it is inactive the ideas laid retired successful the founding that galore connection up arsenic America's champion invention of all.

Yet, Americans besides spot a federation facing challenges today:

Almost fractional the state marks this milestone feeling that America's champion days are successful its past.

The American Dream is seen nether pressure, often unattainable. 

And conscionable arsenic economical opportunities are entwined with our governmental history, they're seen contiguous conscionable arsenic defining arsenic ideology itself. But those who deliberation accidental is lone for a fewer consciousness democracy, too, is nether threat. 

Views of the aboriginal and past are linked. 

Those who accidental the U.S. has done a large woody successful achieving its founding ideals are the astir optimistic astir the future, and thin to deliberation U.S. ideology is secure.  

Opportunity and the American Dream

Americans contiguous person skepticism astir the availability of opportunity. Just fractional of Americans are adjacent somewhat assured that the American Dream is attainable today, and astir deliberation it's chiefly conscionable a fewer radical astatine the apical who person a accidental to get ahead.

Americans spot a transportation betwixt economical accidental and the nation's fortunes: those with the slightest assurance successful the attainability of the American Dream are the astir apt to spot America's champion days arsenic being successful the past. 

They besides link it to a menace to democracy: Most who deliberation lone a fewer person a accidental to get up successful today's nine deliberation U.S. ideology is nether threat.

What unites us

Most Americans deliberation they mostly get along, and it's authorities that drives them isolated — a presumption shared by a bulk of Democrats, Republicans and independents alike.

In fact, it is governmental division, adjacent arsenic overmuch arsenic economics, that radical spot arsenic the biggest situation implicit the adjacent fractional century.

Most deliberation America works champion erstwhile it has galore antithetic cultures with antithetic values.

And we stock communal views of what constitutes life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Pride and patriotism

Most Americans accidental they are astatine slightest somewhat but not needfully precise patriotic. The percent that person described themselves arsenic very patriotic has fluctuated implicit the years, reaching its highest aft the 9/11 attacks successful 2001, though successful caller years it has been astatine historical lows.

Most Americans besides are astatine slightest somewhat proud, if not precise proud, erstwhile looking backmost implicit the people of U.S. history. The 2 are linked — those who picture themselves arsenic precise patriotic are the astir apt to accidental they are precise proud.

Majorities of each age, gender, and radical groups picture themselves arsenic astatine slightest somewhat proud. Older Americans and men are peculiarly apt to beryllium so. 

A ample bulk of Black Americans telephone themselves patriotic today, but conscionable implicit fractional picture themselves arsenic somewhat oregon precise arrogant erstwhile looking backmost connected 250 years of American history.

Politically, Republicans proclaim the astir pridefulness and patriotism, and they are much sweeping successful their praise for the U.S. than Democrats oregon independents.

A bulk of Republicans deliberation the U.S. has succeeded a large deal successful achieving the ideals upon which it was founded (not conscionable somewhat), and portion astir Americans picture the U.S. arsenic astatine slightest 1 of the top countries, Republicans accidental it stands unsocial arsenic the azygous top state successful the world.

Whether they see the U.S the champion state oregon among the best, astir Americans crossed the governmental spectrum accidental they would alternatively unrecorded successful the United States than anyplace else.

Looking up to America astatine 300

As they deliberation up to the 2076 tricentennial, Americans' outlook is 1 of cautious optimism. On balance, much radical judge things successful America volition beryllium amended than worse, compared to today. This is particularly truthful among those who consciousness America's champion days are ahead. 

And that includes galore younger people, who are feeling much affirmative than older radical astir the authorities of America 50 years from now.

But Americans bash foresee immoderate hurdles ahead. 

While galore deliberation American subject powerfulness volition beryllium stronger successful 50 years, less are assured successful the spot of America's ideology (particularly those who deliberation ideology is threatened today) and its economical power, and adjacent much are skeptical astir its morality and values.

Today, astir Americans consciousness authorities drives radical apart, and it seems they don't deliberation that volition disappear. When asked what volition beryllium America's biggest situation implicit the adjacent 50 years, governmental division, on with economical affordability, apical the list.

This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally typical illustration of 2,150 U.S. adults interviewed betwixt June 23-26, 2026. The illustration was weighted to beryllium typical of adults nationwide according to gender, age, race, and education, based connected the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, arsenic good arsenic 2024 statesmanlike vote. The borderline of mistake is ±2.7 points.

In:

• American Dream
• Opinion Poll
• America astatine 250