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America turns 250 this weekend, and thanks to July 4th landing on a Saturday, many of us got Friday off too. Three days is a lot of time for entertainment, so we curated the movies that capture the heart of America, the books that put the Revolution back in context, and the documentaries about the fight for independence they didn't cover in school.
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Classic Americana: 10 Movies That Capture the Heart of the U.S.A.
Every country has a mythology. These ten movies are ours: underdog stories, counterculture movements, and the belief that anyone can overcome their circumstances to create a better life.
Rocky
A small-time boxer from Philadelphia gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight the heavyweight champion of the world. If you had to explain the American Dream to someone who'd never been to the country, you'd show them this. Sylvester Stallone wrote and starred in it, betting on himself the same way Rocky does.
The full list:
Hotel Spotlight
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Check In: Park James Hotel | Menlo Park, CA
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10 Independence Day Reads to Celebrate 250 Years
The things we learned in school weren’t always accurate. These 10 books give a closer look at what actually happened in 1776, and the people it happened to.
1776 by David McCullough
1776 describes the war from both sides of the Atlantic: the decisions in London that pushed Britain toward war, and the ragtag colonial army under George Washington that had to survive them. David McCullough, who also wrote the definitive biography of John Adams, turns the archives into something that reads like a thriller.
The full list:
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Perched directly along the Atlantic, Anchorage by the Sea is a quintessential oceanfront stay that captures the timeless charm of Maine. Guests can spend their days moving between heated indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs, fire pits, lawn games, and direct access to the scenic Marginal Way. Comfortable oceanfront and village-side accommodations keep everything relaxed, while Ogunquit Beach, Perkins Cove, and local arts are all just steps away. See more.
Top 10 Documentaries About America’s Fight for Independence
The Revolution had far more infighting, luck, and improvisation than you might think. These documentaries get into the mess behind the founding story.
The American Revolution
The American Revolution was a war for independence, a war of conquest, a civil war, and a world war all at once, fought by neighbors on American farms and by empires an ocean away. Ken Burns spent nine years turning that scope into a six-part, twelve-hour docuseries.
The full list:
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