u/Bendyb3n

July 4th, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States approving the Declaration of Independence, which would later be officially signed by all but one of the original 13 colonies one month later on August 2, 1776. This is a monumental day in the history of this country, a date that I’ve looked forward to growing up as someone who is a bit of a geography and history nerd and takes pride in where I grew up and is also a general fan of some satisfying math.

Growing up in the US, I was always taught about how we are the greatest country in the world and the “land of the free,” and that I could do anything I want as part of living the American Dream; which I took great pride in as a kid seeing fireworks each year or watching the Olympics as I root for my nation’s athletes on the international stage and heard the Star-Spangled Banner ring out whenever we won a Gold medal, among other things. I truly thought I was living in the greatest country in the world.

As I grow older, however, I have only realized more with each passing year that this country I live in does not truly stand for my ideals and values, does not foster a positive supportive environment for all to live in, or even stand for the freedom that was drilled into my head growing up. This started LONG before the current administration just to be clear, in fact I believe the current president is just the final result of what has been a completely broken system for decades at this point. Then I look to other nations across the world and see genuine community support for all, thoughtful and meaningful education systems, and a true and genuine freedom that is protected and even defended tooth and nail.

I do believe though that the US did once have something to stand up for. From roughly 1933 with the signing of the New Deal up until the 1970s when Nixon began the slow process of slashing FDR’s longstanding policies, the American Dream was a true reality that once made it the greatest country in the world. It was a place where people from all walks of life wanted to build a family in (albeit with quite a bit of racism). During this period, Social Security was established, college was virtually free, home ownership was feasible on a single person’s salary, the 40hr workweek and worker protection laws were established, the rich were taxed at 79%+, the US was affordable, and the massive Baby Boom generation was the result of the unprecedented stability of the nation during this time period. It wasn't perfect, but it was a building block that could have been fine tuned to this very day.

However, in the past 50yrs, it has become abundantly clear that America has fully lost its way with corruption, endless wars, violence, and a culture war fueled by social media algorithms and a leadership on both sides that refuses to do anything about it. We are a deeply divided country full of people living in three or four entirely separate realities created by and profited off of greed and a refusal to stand with or support the hundreds of millions of Americans from all walks of life that call this country home.

As a result, I have a very hard time feeling anything but embarrassment and shame to call myself an American in its current state. So it is for this reason that I am choosing to celebrate my home in New England and my identity as a New Englander on this July 4th rather than the country it happens to be a part of. I take great pride in where I grew up and have always loved supporting and learning about anything that comes from these 6 beautiful states; from history, to arts, music, food, and culture.

Massachusetts (which included Maine at the time) is where the fight for independence started when Boston overthrew the British governor of the Massachusetts colony way back in 1689, which led to numerous conflicts in the region including the Boston Massacre of 1770 and the Boston Tea Party of 1773, when Bostonians dumped more than $1.7m worth of tea in today’s money into the Boston Harbor. Eventually Massachusetts would become the battleground for the earliest parts of the Revolutionary War in Lexington and Concord and were leaders in the fight throughout the revolution.

Connecticut, known as the Constitution State, is often credited as the state where American democracy was formed as the earliest drafts of what would eventually become the US Constitution were signed here way back in 1639. During the Revolution, Connecticut would play an often overlooked role as the Provisions State due to its rich agriculture and manufacturing that provided the Continental army with the majority of supplies during wartime, especially in the north. After the war, the Connecticut delegation would introduce the Connecticut Compromise that would eventually establish the separated House of Representation and Senate to give smaller states proper representation in Congress.

Rhode Island, often the rebellious colony compared to its neighbors, is credited with igniting the Revolution in 1772 when a small group of Rhode Islanders burned down a large British Naval ship in the Narragansett Bay, becoming known as the Gaspee Affair. The increased tensions would eventually lead to all-out war in the following years. After the war, Rhode Island would play a critical role in securing freedom of speech and religion as rights when they outright refused to sign the Constitution unless both were guaranteed, which at the time was quite controversial. Rhode Island would eventually become the last of the original 13 colonies to sign the Constitution nearly 3 years after Delaware was first to sign in 1787.

Like CT, New Hampshire played a provisionary role in the Revolution, offering troops, ships, and other supplies to the war efforts and specifically playing a vital role in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Before the war though, New Hampshire was notably the first colony to declare independence from the Brits and even signed its own Constitution into law in January of 1776. After the war, New Hampshire was the deciding state that would officially make the US Constitution the law of the land when they were the 9th state to sign in the spring of 1788.

Lastly, while not one of the original 13 colonies, Vermont was actually briefly an unrecognized independent nation for 14yrs from 1777 until its admission as the 14th state in 1791. During this period, Vermont would become the first state in the Americas to ban slavery and give all men the right to vote, no matter their class; something that was considered extremely progressive for the time. Despite its independence, Vermont did play a role in the Revolution when the Green Mountain Boys quietly captured Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York in the middle of the night without a single casualty in 1775, marking one of the first major victories in the early Revolutionary War effort.

New England is the true spirit of the United States and everything it stands for in its truest form. The rich history of this region is why we call ourselves Americans in the first place. Despite our differences as a nation, the United States was formed on fierce independence against unfair rule, fascism, and taxation without representation, something that we should all remember at times when history repeats itself. Thank you and Happy 250th New England!

July 4th, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States approving the Declaration of Independence, which would later be officially signed by all but one of the original 13 colonies one month later on August 2, 1776. This is a monumental day in the history of this country, a date that I’ve looked forward to growing up as someone who is a bit of a geography and history nerd and takes pride in where I grew up and is also a general fan of some satisfying math.

Growing up in the US, I was always taught about how we are the greatest country in the world and the “land of the free,” and that I could do anything I want as part of living the American Dream; which I took great pride in as a kid seeing fireworks each year or watching the Olympics as I root for my nation’s athletes on the international stage and heard the Star-Spangled Banner ring out whenever we won a Gold medal, among other things. I truly thought I was living in the greatest country in the world.

As I grow older, however, I have only realized more with each passing year that this country I live in does not truly stand for my ideals and values, does not foster a positive supportive environment for all to live in, or even stand for the freedom that was drilled into my head growing up. This started LONG before the current administration just to be clear, in fact I believe the current president is just the final result of what has been a completely broken system for decades at this point. Then I look to other nations across the world and see genuine community support for all, thoughtful and meaningful education systems, and a true and genuine freedom that is protected and even defended tooth and nail.

I do believe though that the US did once have something to stand up for. From roughly 1933 with the signing of the New Deal up until the 1970s when Nixon began the slow process of slashing FDR’s longstanding policies, the American Dream was a true reality that once made it the greatest country in the world. It was a place where people from all walks of life wanted to build a family in (albeit with quite a bit of racism). During this period, Social Security was established, college was virtually free, home ownership was feasible on a single person’s salary, the 40hr workweek and worker protection laws were established, the rich were taxed at 79%+, the US was affordable, and the massive Baby Boom generation was the result of the unprecedented stability of the nation during this time period. It wasn't perfect, but it was a building block that could have been fine tuned to this very day.

However, in the past 50yrs, it has become abundantly clear that America has fully lost its way with corruption, endless wars, violence, and a culture war fueled by social media algorithms and a leadership on both sides that refuses to do anything about it. We are a deeply divided country full of people living in three or four entirely separate realities created by and profited off of greed and a refusal to stand with or support the hundreds of millions of Americans from all walks of life that call this country home.

As a result, I have a very hard time feeling anything but embarrassment and shame to call myself an American in its current state. So it is for this reason that I am choosing to celebrate my home in New England and my identity as a New Englander on this July 4th rather than the country it happens to be a part of. I take great pride in where I grew up and have always loved supporting and learning about anything that comes from these 6 beautiful states; from history, to arts, music, food, and culture.

Massachusetts (which included Maine at the time) is where the fight for independence started when Boston overthrew the British governor of the Massachusetts colony way back in 1689, which led to numerous conflicts in the region including the Boston Massacre of 1770 and the Boston Tea Party of 1773, when Bostonians dumped more than $1.7m worth of tea in today’s money into the Boston Harbor. Eventually Massachusetts would become the battleground for the earliest parts of the Revolutionary War in Lexington and Concord and were leaders in the fight throughout the revolution.

Connecticut, known as the Constitution State, is often credited as the state where American democracy was formed as the earliest drafts of what would eventually become the US Constitution were signed here way back in 1639. During the Revolution, Connecticut would play an often overlooked role as the Provisions State due to its rich agriculture and manufacturing that provided the Continental army with the majority of supplies during wartime, especially in the north. After the war, the Connecticut delegation would introduce the Connecticut Compromise that would eventually establish the separated House of Representation and Senate to give smaller states proper representation in Congress.

Rhode Island, often the rebellious colony compared to its neighbors, is credited with igniting the Revolution in 1772 when a small group of Rhode Islanders burned down a large British Naval ship in the Narragansett Bay, becoming known as the Gaspee Affair. The increased tensions would eventually lead to all-out war in the following years. After the war, Rhode Island would play a critical role in securing freedom of speech and religion as rights when they outright refused to sign the Constitution unless both were guaranteed, which at the time was quite controversial. Rhode Island would eventually become the last of the original 13 colonies to sign the Constitution nearly 3 years after Delaware was first to sign in 1787.

Like CT, New Hampshire played a provisionary role in the Revolution, offering troops, ships, and other supplies to the war efforts and specifically playing a vital role in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Before the war though, New Hampshire was notably the first colony to declare independence from the Brits and even signed its own Constitution into law in January of 1776. After the war, New Hampshire was the deciding state that would officially make the US Constitution the law of the land when they were the 9th state to sign in the spring of 1788.

Lastly, while not one of the original 13 colonies, Vermont was actually briefly an unrecognized independent nation for 14yrs from 1777 until its admission as the 14th state in 1791. During this period, Vermont would become the first state in the Americas to ban slavery and give all men the right to vote, no matter their class; something that was considered extremely progressive for the time. Despite its independence, Vermont did play a role in the Revolution when the Green Mountain Boys quietly captured Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York in the middle of the night without a single casualty in 1775, marking one of the first major victories in the early Revolutionary War effort.

New England is the true spirit of the United States and everything it stands for in its truest form. The rich history of this region is why we call ourselves Americans in the first place. Despite our differences as a nation, the United States was formed on fierce independence against unfair rule, fascism, and taxation without representation, something that we should all remember at times when history repeats itself. Thank you and Happy 250th New England!

July 4th, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States approving the Declaration of Independence, which would later be officially signed by all but one of the original 13 colonies one month later on August 2, 1776. This is a monumental day in the history of this country, a date that I’ve looked forward to growing up as someone who is a bit of a geography and history nerd and takes pride in where I grew up and is also a general fan of some satisfying math.

Growing up in the US, I was always taught about how we are the greatest country in the world and the “land of the free,” and that I could do anything I want as part of living the American Dream; which I took great pride in as a kid seeing fireworks each year or watching the Olympics as I root for my nation’s athletes on the international stage and heard the Star-Spangled Banner ring out whenever we won a Gold medal, among other things. I truly thought I was living in the greatest country in the world.

As I grow older, however, I have only realized more with each passing year that this country I live in does not truly stand for my ideals and values, does not foster a positive supportive environment for all to live in, or even stand for the freedom that was drilled into my head growing up. This started LONG before the current administration just to be clear, in fact I believe the current president is just the final result of what has been a completely broken system for decades at this point. Then I look to other nations across the world and see genuine community support for all, thoughtful and meaningful education systems, and a true and genuine freedom that is protected and even defended tooth and nail.

I do believe though that the US did once have something to stand up for. From roughly 1933 with the signing of the New Deal up until the 1970s when Nixon began the slow process of slashing FDR’s longstanding policies, the American Dream was a true reality that once made it the greatest country in the world. It was a place where people from all walks of life wanted to build a family in (albeit with quite a bit of racism). During this period, Social Security was established, college was virtually free, home ownership was feasible on a single person’s salary, the 40hr workweek and worker protection laws were established, the rich were taxed at 79%+, the US was affordable, and the massive Baby Boom generation was the result of the unprecedented stability of the nation during this time period. It wasn't perfect, but it was a building block that could have been fine tuned to this very day.

However, in the past 50yrs, it has become abundantly clear that America has fully lost its way with corruption, endless wars, violence, and a culture war fueled by social media algorithms and a leadership on both sides that refuses to do anything about it. We are a deeply divided country full of people living in three or four entirely separate realities created by and profited off of greed and a refusal to stand with or support the hundreds of millions of Americans from all walks of life that call this country home.

As a result, I have a very hard time feeling anything but embarrassment and shame to call myself an American in its current state. So it is for this reason that I am choosing to celebrate my home in New England and my identity as a New Englander on this July 4th rather than the country it happens to be a part of. I take great pride in where I grew up and have always loved supporting and learning about anything that comes from these 6 beautiful states; from history, to arts, music, food, and culture.

Massachusetts (which included Maine at the time) is where the fight for independence started when Boston overthrew the British governor of the Massachusetts colony way back in 1689, which led to numerous conflicts in the region including the Boston Massacre of 1770 and the Boston Tea Party of 1773, when Bostonians dumped more than $1.7m worth of tea in today’s money into the Boston Harbor. Eventually Massachusetts would become the battleground for the earliest parts of the Revolutionary War in Lexington and Concord and were leaders in the fight throughout the revolution.

Connecticut, known as the Constitution State, is often credited as the state where American democracy was formed as the earliest drafts of what would eventually become the US Constitution were signed here way back in 1639. During the Revolution, Connecticut would play an often overlooked role as the Provisions State due to its rich agriculture and manufacturing that provided the Continental army with the majority of supplies during wartime, especially in the north. After the war, the Connecticut delegation would introduce the Connecticut Compromise that would eventually establish the separated House of Representation and Senate to give smaller states proper representation in Congress.

Rhode Island, often the rebellious colony compared to its neighbors, is credited with igniting the Revolution in 1772 when a small group of Rhode Islanders burned down a large British Naval ship in the Narragansett Bay, becoming known as the Gaspee Affair. The increased tensions would eventually lead to all-out war in the following years. After the war, Rhode Island would play a critical role in securing freedom of speech and religion as rights when they outright refused to sign the Constitution unless both were guaranteed, which at the time was quite controversial. Rhode Island would eventually become the last of the original 13 colonies to sign the Constitution nearly 3 years after Delaware was first to sign in 1787.

Like CT, New Hampshire played a provisionary role in the Revolution, offering troops, ships, and other supplies to the war efforts and specifically playing a vital role in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Before the war though, New Hampshire was notably the first colony to declare independence from the Brits and even signed its own Constitution into law in January of 1776. After the war, New Hampshire was the deciding state that would officially make the US Constitution the law of the land when they were the 9th state to sign in the spring of 1788.

Lastly, while not one of the original 13 colonies, Vermont was actually briefly an unrecognized independent nation for 14yrs from 1777 until its admission as the 14th state in 1791. During this period, Vermont would become the first state in the Americas to ban slavery and give all men the right to vote, no matter their class; something that was considered extremely progressive for the time. Despite its independence, Vermont did play a role in the Revolution when the Green Mountain Boys quietly captured Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York in the middle of the night without a single casualty in 1775, marking one of the first major victories in the early Revolutionary War effort.

New England is the true spirit of the United States and everything it stands for in its truest form. The rich history of this region is why we call ourselves Americans in the first place. Despite our differences as a nation, the United States was formed on fierce independence against unfair rule, fascism, and taxation without representation, something that we should all remember at times when history repeats itself. Thank you and Happy 250th New England!

July 4th, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States approving the Declaration of Independence, which would later be officially signed by all but one of the original 13 colonies one month later on August 2, 1776. This is a monumental day in the history of this country, a date that I’ve looked forward to growing up as someone who is a bit of a geography and history nerd and takes pride in where I grew up and is also a general fan of some satisfying math.

Growing up in the US, I was always taught about how we are the greatest country in the world and the “land of the free,” and that I could do anything I want as part of living the American Dream; which I took great pride in as a kid seeing fireworks each year or watching the Olympics as I root for my nation’s athletes on the international stage and heard the Star-Spangled Banner ring out whenever we won a Gold medal, among other things. I truly thought I was living in the greatest country in the world.

As I grow older, however, I have only realized more with each passing year that this country I live in does not truly stand for my ideals and values, does not foster a positive supportive environment for all to live in, or even stand for the freedom that was drilled into my head growing up. This started LONG before the current administration just to be clear, in fact I believe the current president is just the final result of what has been a completely broken system for decades at this point. Then I look to other nations across the world and see genuine community support for all, thoughtful and meaningful education systems, and a true and genuine freedom that is protected and even defended tooth and nail.

I do believe though that the US did once have something to stand up for. From roughly 1933 with the signing of the New Deal up until the 1970s when Nixon began the slow process of slashing FDR’s longstanding policies, the American Dream was a true reality that once made it the greatest country in the world. It was a place where people from all walks of life wanted to build a family in (albeit with quite a bit of racism). During this period, Social Security was established, college was virtually free, home ownership was feasible on a single person’s salary, the 40hr workweek and worker protection laws were established, the rich were taxed at 79%+, the US was affordable, and the massive Baby Boom generation was the result of the unprecedented stability of the nation during this time period. It wasn't perfect, but it was a building block that could have been fine tuned to this very day.

However, in the past 50yrs, it has become abundantly clear that America has fully lost its way with corruption, endless wars, violence, and a culture war fueled by social media algorithms and a leadership on both sides that refuses to do anything about it. We are a deeply divided country full of people living in three or four entirely separate realities created by and profited off of greed and a refusal to stand with or support the hundreds of millions of Americans from all walks of life that call this country home.

As a result, I have a very hard time feeling anything but embarrassment and shame to call myself an American in its current state. So it is for this reason that I am choosing to celebrate my home in New England and my identity as a New Englander on this July 4th rather than the country it happens to be a part of. I take great pride in where I grew up and have always loved supporting and learning about anything that comes from these 6 beautiful states; from history, to arts, music, food, and culture.

Massachusetts (which included Maine at the time) is where the fight for independence started when Boston overthrew the British governor of the Massachusetts colony way back in 1689, which led to numerous conflicts in the region including the Boston Massacre of 1770 and the Boston Tea Party of 1773, when Bostonians dumped more than $1.7m worth of tea in today’s money into the Boston Harbor. Eventually Massachusetts would become the battleground for the earliest parts of the Revolutionary War in Lexington and Concord and were leaders in the fight throughout the revolution.

Connecticut, known as the Constitution State, is often credited as the state where American democracy was formed as the earliest drafts of what would eventually become the US Constitution were signed here way back in 1639. During the Revolution, Connecticut would play an often overlooked role as the Provisions State due to its rich agriculture and manufacturing that provided the Continental army with the majority of supplies during wartime, especially in the north. After the war, the Connecticut delegation would introduce the Connecticut Compromise that would eventually establish the separated House of Representation and Senate to give smaller states proper representation in Congress.

Rhode Island, often the rebellious colony compared to its neighbors, is credited with igniting the Revolution in 1772 when a small group of Rhode Islanders burned down a large British Naval ship in the Narragansett Bay, becoming known as the Gaspee Affair. The increased tensions would eventually lead to all-out war in the following years. After the war, Rhode Island would play a critical role in securing freedom of speech and religion as rights when they outright refused to sign the Constitution unless both were guaranteed, which at the time was quite controversial. Rhode Island would eventually become the last of the original 13 colonies to sign the Constitution nearly 3 years after Delaware was first to sign in 1787.

Like CT, New Hampshire played a provisionary role in the Revolution, offering troops, ships, and other supplies to the war efforts and specifically playing a vital role in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Before the war though, New Hampshire was notably the first colony to declare independence from the Brits and even signed its own Constitution into law in January of 1776. After the war, New Hampshire was the deciding state that would officially make the US Constitution the law of the land when they were the 9th state to sign in the spring of 1788.

Lastly, while not one of the original 13 colonies, Vermont was actually briefly an unrecognized independent nation for 14yrs from 1777 until its admission as the 14th state in 1791. During this period, Vermont would become the first state in the Americas to ban slavery and give all men the right to vote, no matter their class; something that was considered extremely progressive for the time. Despite its independence, Vermont did play a role in the Revolution when the Green Mountain Boys quietly captured Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York in the middle of the night without a single casualty in 1775, marking one of the first major victories in the early Revolutionary War effort.

New England is the true spirit of the United States and everything it stands for in its truest form. The rich history of this region is why we call ourselves Americans in the first place. Despite our differences as a nation, the United States was formed on fierce independence against unfair rule, fascism, and taxation without representation, something that we should all remember at times when history repeats itself. Thank you and Happy 250th New England!

July 4th, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States approving the Declaration of Independence, which would later be officially signed by all but one of the original 13 colonies one month later on August 2, 1776. This is a monumental day in the history of this country, a date that I’ve looked forward to growing up as someone who is a bit of a geography and history nerd and takes pride in where I grew up and is also a general fan of some satisfying math.

Growing up in the US, I was always taught about how we are the greatest country in the world and the “land of the free,” and that I could do anything I want as part of living the American Dream; which I took great pride in as a kid seeing fireworks each year or watching the Olympics as I root for my nation’s athletes on the international stage and heard the Star-Spangled Banner ring out whenever we won a Gold medal, among other things. I truly thought I was living in the greatest country in the world.

As I grow older, however, I have only realized more with each passing year that this country I live in does not truly stand for my ideals and values, does not foster a positive supportive environment for all to live in, or even stand for the freedom that was drilled into my head growing up. This started LONG before the current administration just to be clear, in fact I believe the current president is just the final result of what has been a completely broken system for decades at this point. Then I look to other nations across the world and see genuine community support for all, thoughtful and meaningful education systems, and a true and genuine freedom that is protected and even defended tooth and nail.

I do believe though that the US did once have something to stand up for. From roughly 1933 with the signing of the New Deal up until the 1970s when Nixon began the slow process of slashing FDR’s longstanding policies, the American Dream was a true reality that once made it the greatest country in the world. It was a place where people from all walks of life wanted to build a family in (albeit with quite a bit of racism). During this period, Social Security was established, college was virtually free, home ownership was feasible on a single person’s salary, the 40hr workweek and worker protection laws were established, the rich were taxed at 79%+, the US was affordable, and the massive Baby Boom generation was the result of the unprecedented stability of the nation during this time period. It wasn't perfect, but it was a building block that could have been fine tuned to this very day.

However, in the past 50yrs, it has become abundantly clear that America has fully lost its way with corruption, endless wars, violence, and a culture war fueled by social media algorithms and a leadership on both sides that refuses to do anything about it. We are a deeply divided country full of people living in three or four entirely separate realities created by and profited off of greed and a refusal to stand with or support the hundreds of millions of Americans from all walks of life that call this country home.

As a result, I have a very hard time feeling anything but embarrassment and shame to call myself an American in its current state. So it is for this reason that I am choosing to celebrate my home in New England and my identity as a New Englander on this July 4th rather than the country it happens to be a part of. I take great pride in where I grew up and have always loved supporting and learning about anything that comes from these 6 beautiful states; from history, to arts, music, food, and culture.

Massachusetts (which included Maine at the time) is where the fight for independence started when Boston overthrew the British governor of the Massachusetts colony way back in 1689, which led to numerous conflicts in the region including the Boston Massacre of 1770 and the Boston Tea Party of 1773, when Bostonians dumped more than $1.7m worth of tea in today’s money into the Boston Harbor. Eventually Massachusetts would become the battleground for the earliest parts of the Revolutionary War in Lexington and Concord and were leaders in the fight throughout the revolution.

Connecticut, known as the Constitution State, is often credited as the state where American democracy was formed as the earliest drafts of what would eventually become the US Constitution were signed here way back in 1639. During the Revolution, Connecticut would play an often overlooked role as the Provisions State due to its rich agriculture and manufacturing that provided the Continental army with the majority of supplies during wartime, especially in the north. After the war, the Connecticut delegation would introduce the Connecticut Compromise that would eventually establish the separated House of Representation and Senate to give smaller states proper representation in Congress.

Rhode Island, often the rebellious colony compared to its neighbors, is credited with igniting the Revolution in 1772 when a small group of Rhode Islanders burned down a large British Naval ship in the Narragansett Bay, becoming known as the Gaspee Affair. The increased tensions would eventually lead to all-out war in the following years. After the war, Rhode Island would play a critical role in securing freedom of speech and religion as rights when they outright refused to sign the Constitution unless both were guaranteed, which at the time was quite controversial. Rhode Island would eventually become the last of the original 13 colonies to sign the Constitution nearly 3 years after Delaware was first to sign in 1787.

Like CT, New Hampshire played a provisionary role in the Revolution, offering troops, ships, and other supplies to the war efforts and specifically playing a vital role in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Before the war though, New Hampshire was notably the first colony to declare independence from the Brits and even signed its own Constitution into law in January of 1776. After the war, New Hampshire was the deciding state that would officially make the US Constitution the law of the land when they were the 9th state to sign in the spring of 1788.

Lastly, while not one of the original 13 colonies, Vermont was actually briefly an unrecognized independent nation for 14yrs from 1777 until its admission as the 14th state in 1791. During this period, Vermont would become the first state in the Americas to ban slavery and give all men the right to vote, no matter their class; something that was considered extremely progressive for the time. Despite its independence, Vermont did play a role in the Revolution when the Green Mountain Boys quietly captured Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York in the middle of the night without a single casualty in 1775, marking one of the first major victories in the early Revolutionary War effort.

New England is the true spirit of the United States and everything it stands for in its truest form. The rich history of this region is why we call ourselves Americans in the first place. Despite our differences as a nation, the United States was formed on fierce independence against unfair rule, fascism, and taxation without representation, something that we should all remember at times when history repeats itself. Thank you and Happy 250th New England!

Got a (hopefully) interesting one for you guys! So I am a sound guy for all sorts of conferences, conventions, classes, etc etc and I have a "Corporate Pop and Rock" playlist on Spotify that I typically use as background music during all of my events and generally speaking people love the playlist and I never get complaints!

The other thing I love doing as a metalhead is sneaking in metal and alternative bands as much as I can to spice things up a bit, mostly for my own satisfaction in not having to listen to Harry Styles or Maroon 5 for hours on end. Which brings me to my question, I would love some more suggestions of songs by bands you would never expect to hear at snooty corporate events!

As an example of some bands I've already included, I have some Sleep Token, Turnstile, Emarosa; I even managed to sneak a Devil Wears Prada and Zeal & Ardor song in, just to name a few!

Keep in mind the tracks should be pretty neutral to not raise too many eyebrows but also not too sleepy either and absolutely must be clean and without any weird lyrics. They should be tunes that you can safely play for grandma basically lol. Also they should be available on Spotify since it is a Spotify playlist

Thanks! Just thought this might be kind of a fun one for you all and will give me some new songs to listen to. If anyone is interested in using my playlist for themselves I can link that as well.

Hi there! This one is a question for the SMAART users of the community. I am looking to begin the process of getting SMAART certified this summer to level up my A1 game a bit and learn some new things along the way. On the page to sign up for training courses there are discounts for each of the software versions so I was just looking for a bit of knowledge from those that use the software on a daily basis.

Personally, I don't expect to do anything too insane with SMAART beyond tuning smaller to midsized rooms, maybe some larger gymnasiums, ballrooms, and tents here and there but I am not system teching large arena setups or festivals by any means in my day to day. I may get there someday, but currently in my career I am primarily a corporate A1 that does some rock stuff here and there.

That is all to say, for someone with very limited knowledge of SMAART, what is the real world difference between each of the software versions? Is say the LE version significantly more limited than the Suite version, or is it perfectly fine to go with the more basic version? Also if you have any general tips for using the software I'd love that as well! Thanks!