As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Americans are reflecting on their country's defining achievements, and the picture that emerges is clear: expansion of rights dominates how citizens view national success.
An NBC News poll sponsored by More Perfect, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing democracy, asked respondents an open-ended question about America's greatest accomplishments. Nearly two-thirds identified events tied to civil rights and voting rights as the nation's highest achievements. Military or diplomatic victories accounted for roughly one-sixth of responses, as did scientific and economic breakthroughs.
The abolition of slavery stands at the forefront of Americans' historical pride. The 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865, formally ended slavery and freed more than 4 million people. Respondents repeatedly cited this moment as foundational. "The abolition of slavery was a magnificent achievement for us," one Texas man in his 30s told pollsters. "I think one of our strengths was we used to make laws to help people."
For many, the significance of ending slavery extended beyond the immediate act. It represented the possibility of equal opportunity in American society. "It was a great thing because it gave freedom for everyone. Everybody has equal rights," a woman in her 50s explained. "Everybody has the same chance to achieve and think and speak your opinion."
Women's suffrage emerged as another pivotal marker of American progress. The 19th Amendment, passed in 1920 after decades of activism, granted women voting rights. One older California woman cited this as her choice for the nation's top achievement, then reflected on the educational and professional opportunities that followed. "There's more opportunity to further people's education than there used to be," she said, noting the expansion of scholarships and educational access since she began her teaching career in the 1970s. Title IX, enacted in 1972, further advanced gender equality by prohibiting discrimination in federally funded institutions.
American military triumphs also resonated with respondents. World War II victory held particular weight as a moment when the nation preserved democratic values against totalitarianism. A Republican from Washington state framed the conflict in stark terms: "If we had lost, freedom would have been lost. It's the essence of freedom that was won. You kind of just go back to democracy won over fascism."
For others, the World War II victory represented something more personal to current frustrations. A Virginia Democrat saw the war's end as a moment when the nation was unified and patriotism held meaning. He contrasted that past achievement with his view of contemporary America, expressing frustration with the country's current direction and international standing.
Some respondents framed American military dominance differently, viewing World War II victory as a declaration of the nation's global supremacy. A Tennessee man referenced the nation's consecutive world war wins as establishing that "the U.S. is the big daddy of the world and you shouldn't mess with us."
Technological advancement, particularly space exploration, captured the imagination of another segment of Americans. The moon landings represented not just a scientific feat but evidence of what American ingenuity could accomplish. "Probably putting a man on the moon," said an Idaho man in his mid-20s. "The Apollo missions. I mean, technology at the time wasn't exactly very good. I don't know how they did it, but they put somebody up there. It's really kind of amazing they were able to do that with 1960s technology."
For a Massachusetts respondent, the space program symbolized something broader: the combination of democratic stability and technological capability that defined American strength. "The U.S. is a country of remarkable technological and democratic achievement," he said. "I think that we marked both our status as one of the world's greatest and most stable democracies and the fruits of technological advancement that it has wrought."
As NASA launches the Artemis program to return humans to the moon, the nation's historical enthusiasm for space exploration remains part of the cultural conversation about American accomplishment.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "The poll reveals something often lost in contemporary politics: Americans still measure their country by moments when it expanded freedom and pushed the boundaries of what was possible, not by partisan scorecards."
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