From Boston to San Francisco: places to commemorate 250 years of US independence

That 4 July is fast approaching, when the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of its independence from Great Britain in grand style. Although relations between Washington and Rome are not currently at their best due to the strained ties between the leaders of the two countries, there are still plenty of reasons to explore the places that have shaped the history of the United States of America, not only to mark this important anniversary, but also throughout the summer, when a host of events will take place to celebrate the Declaration of Independence, adopted by Congress on 4 July 1776, written mainly by Thomas Jefferson, which also enshrined the natural rights of Americans as the cornerstone of the Stars and Stripes Confederation. One could begin this journey, for example, at the brand-new Obama Presidential Centre, which has just opened on Chicago’s South Side, where Michelle and Barack’s journey began: it is a 7.8-hectare campus designed by Dina Griffin, Tod Williams and Billie Tsien on the Great Lawn, where many events – including charitable initiatives – are held.