As the nation turns\u00a0250 years old, USA TODAY decided to create a time capsule, not of items but of\u00a0dreams\u00a0Americans hold for\u00a0the\u00a0country’s future.

As we celebrate 250 years of U.S. independence, let us seize this moment not merely to look back with gratitude, but to look forward with purpose.

As America turns 250, our Economist/YouGov poll reveals a proud but deeply divided nation