The two most important documents in American history are the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. As the nation celebrates the 247th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the words of those documents continue to ring true.

Since the documents' signing, the people of our nation have largely achieved their promises. Americans are a free people. Under our Constitution, we have "unalienable rights" that derive from nature, not from government. Under our system of government, liberty is first, and government exists to secure our natural rights. No other country accords free speech and free expression with such high value.

As Americans, we have the constitutional right to express the most outrageous views; truth is irrelevant, as even the foulest ideologies are protected in America. We enjoy life and liberty to a unique degree. The Declaration of Independence says that we have the unalienable right to pursue happiness, and the Constitution says that one purpose of the document is to "promote the general welfare."

The U.S. economy is the largest and most technologically advanced of all nations. Our per capita gross domestic product is up to 50% higher than the wealthy nations of Europe. Our universities are unrivaled. Our businesses and our government spend more on research and development than any other nation. From that spending, our businesses are the most innovative on the planet. In advanced technology, the U.S. stands alone. There are no global rivals to companies such as Apple, Microsoft, and now Nvidia.

The American dream is also alive and well. Nigerian Americans are among the most successful ethnic groups in the country. Their skin color does not hinder their success. They pursue and achieve economic and social success. Asian Americans are equally successful. They enjoy the nation’s highest per capita incomes and they are America’s most successful entrepreneurs. It is not a coincidence that the senior executive officers of Alphabet, Microsoft, and Nvidia are of Asian descent.

Finally, through our national wealth, national technological innovation, and our shared pride as Americans, we the people are protected against the enemies of our nation by the world’s most powerful military.

The United States is free. It is not despotic. The people of the country enjoy unrivaled and unprecedented prosperity and personal freedoms. Put simply, the United States is uniquely great.

James Rogan is a former U.S. foreign service officer who later worked in finance and law for 30 years. He writes  a daily note  on finance and the economy, politics, sociology, and criminal justice.