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Little-known abroad, Andy Burnham has a chance to define a new era of US-UK relations. Should he seek to charm or bargain with the bully in the White House - or treat him like a poorly informed constituent'?If, as expected, Andy Burnham becomes the British prime minister later this month, one of his first telephone calls is likely to be with Donald Trump.Trump's mother was Scottish and he has a nostalgic fascination with Britain. But managing a relationship with the erratic, transactional and demanding US president has been a diplomatic minefield for Burnham's predecessors. Continue reading...

Has the success of the US men's team - and hosting the World Cup - finally made Americans fall in love with football? With Guardian US soccer correspondent Jeff RueterFor decades, the US has been unmoved by the charms of the beautiful game. As Guardian US soccer correspondent Jeff Rueter, a boyhood fan of the sport, explains, football in America was a ramshackle' affair - unloved, boring, a little alien.But, Helen Pidd hears, things are beginning to change. The US men's national team is thriving in the World Cup they are hosting, and Americans are being won over by travelling football teams and fans, from the Scots in Boston to Algerians in Kansas Continue reading...

The surprise move deeming the US striker eligible to play came after the American president reached out to the governing body to appeal for the changeDonald Trump has been conspicuous by his absence so far at the World Cup, but unusually he may have been making his presence felt behind the scenes with some quiet diplomacy.In addition to failing to attend a game, despite the USA's impressive progress to the last 16, Trump had not mentioned the tournament on social media since offering some bland recognition of record attendance figures on 28 June. All that changed on Sunday when he took to Truth Social to thank Fifa for its highly unusual decision to lift striker Folarin Balogun's ban from Monday's last-16 tie against Belgium. Continue reading...

Exit leaves primary voters to choose between progressive Abdul El-Sayed and centrist Haley Stevens in must-win seatMallory McMorrow, a Michigan Democrat, has dropped out of a contentious US Senate primary campaign, setting up a straight fight between the party's progressive and establishment wings - represented by Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health official, and Haley Stevens, a congresswoman.McMorrow's retreat marks the end of a center-left bid to hold the seat being vacated this year by the Democrat Gary Peters. The three-way primary contest was a close one earlier in the campaign, but polls indicated that McMorrow's support had plunged in recent weeks, as El-Sayed raced past her and Stevens to emerge as the frontrunner for the party's nomination. Continue reading...

The sides meet Monday for a World Cup quarter-final spot, and the USMNT's main goal threat is able to play after a shock reversal. Here's what to knowAfter a few days of preparing for the World Cup's last 16 without their top scorer, the United States were dealt a surprise Sunday when Fifa rescinded Folarin Balogun's red-card suspension for Monday's match against Belgium.Belgium's own preparations have now been scuppered as they go from planning to face an alternative - likely either Ricardo Pepi or Haji Wright - to trying to contain one of the World Cup's most in-form forwards. Continue reading...

Haiti is a failed state', says Carlos Gimenez, congressman and Miami Cuban exile, after controversial court rulingCarlos Gimenez, a Republican congressman from Florida, broke with the Trump administration on Sunday, calling on the White House to reconsider its push to eliminate temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitian migrants.Returning some 350,000 Haitians to their chaotic, dangerous homeland following the US supreme court's ruling that the Trump administration can cut off temporary legal protections, would be a grave error, Gimenez said. Continue reading...

All the latest news from Sunday's live action at SW19

More than 20 states reported temperatures above 100F as heat dome sits over eastern US during holiday weekendAt least about two dozen people have died amid the perilous climate crisis-driven heatwave that has scorched swaths of the US with record temperatures.As a huge heat dome sits over the county's eastern half, extreme heat gripped millions of people in the days leading up to the US's semiquincentennial on Saturday - and beyond it. More than 20 states experienced have reported stifling temperatures more than 100F (38C), marring celebrations. And more than 140 million people remained under active heat alerts across the US on Sunday. Continue reading...

England endured a tumultous buildup to their match in Mexico City, while Trump thanked Fifa publicly for overturning Folarin Balogun of the USA's red cardKylian Mbappe has pulled level with Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot charts. Both icons have seven after the Frenchman tucked away the winning penalty against Paraguay.Erling Haaland (5), Harry Kane (5) and Vinicius Junior (4) all have the chance to close the gap in the next 24 hours. And also look out for Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal (4) creeping up on the rails. Continue reading...

Magazine invites readers to judge Vance's assessment' of Trump, whom he called cultural heroin' during first termThe Atlantic on Saturday republished a JD Vance essay that dismissed Donald Trump as cultural heroin" exactly 10 years earlier, bringing back to the fore his evolving from a critic of the president to his vice-president.In an editor's note, the magazine said it was republishing the essay on the occasion of its 10th anniversary - and the US's semiquincentennial - so that our readers can judge for themselves how well his assessment [of Trump] ... has stood the test of time". Continue reading...

Neo-fascist group Patriot Front parades banners, including Confederate flag, chanting Reclaim America' in US capitalHundreds of masked men carrying banners, including the Confederate flag, marched through Washington DC on the Fourth of July, the 250th anniversary of the US's inception.The group appeared to be led by Thomas Rousseau, founder of the neo-fascist, white supremacist organization Patriot Front. Members of the group wore white masks and gathered in front of DC's Union Station. They later marched towards Capitol Hill, WTOP reported. Continue reading...

With voters embracing leaders who brazenly monetise public office, experts say an ethical code is breaking downDonald Trump came to office in 2017 after decades of bankruptcies and business failures. Yes, he was rich, but his latest financial disclosure, published this week, suggests he will depart billions richer.In the first year of his second term, he made more than $2bn from Trump hotels, Trump golf courses, Trump cryptocurrency, Trump watches, Trump cologne, Trump Bibles and more. Continue reading...

Incident took place late in the evening on Independence Day, reports say, with woman said to be in critical conditionAt least eight people, including four children, were shot and wounded on Saturday during the Fourth of July holiday in New York City's Coney Island section, according to police.The shooting happened at about 10.35pm on the Brooklyn neighborhood's West 30th Street - not far from a boardwalk where a fireworks display had been set less than an hour earlier. Continue reading...

Though the Lake Tahoe region has rates higher than the state average, residents are addressing a shortage of servicesEvery year, about 2 million people come to the outdoor paradise of Lake Tahoe, which offers snowy ski slopes in the winter and sunny lakeside activities in the summer. At more than 6,000ft in elevation, the alpine community centers on the stunningly blue lake, which spans the California-Nevada border and is often called the jewel of the Sierra".But beneath this idyllic scenery lies something known as the paradise paradox". As in many US resort areas, the suicide rates in the Tahoe region, including the city of Truckee, are far higher than the state average - and these communities don't have enough resources to deal with the issue. Continue reading...

Les Rouges brought moments of joy to their nation. But there are plenty of questions around Canadian soccer as the tournament moves onIt was standing room only in Toronto's oldest bar, The Wheatsheaf, on Saturday lunchtime. For some, the wake had already begun. Nestled in the corner was a group of sullen Irish GAA fans, who had just witnessed Cork's demoralizing defeat to Galway in the All-Ireland Hurling semi-final. Resplendent in their red and white as they gazed despairingly into the middle distance, at least they had another team to root for.It was an odd scenario. Canada is co-hosting this tournament but, due to the team's second-place finish in the group stage, they were playing Morocco far to the south in Houston, Texas. But The Wheatsheaf was a sea of red and white as Canada fans gathered for the last-16 clash. Some guy even dusted off a vintage Manchester United 1999 jersey with Beckham' on the back. Anything for Canada. And that sense of collective patriotism soared when Wayne Gretzky - the once Great One now derided in his native land for cosying up to Donald Trump, amongst other curious missteps - popped up on TV screens and was booed mercilessly and enthusiastically by the crowd. Continue reading...

Paul Pelosi could face misdemeanor charges over crash that left car with major' damage, authorities sayThe husband of former House speaker Nancy Pelosi was involved in a hit-and-run car crash in California that left a parked vehicle with major" damage, authorities said on Saturday - and he could face misdemeanor charges.Paul Pelosi was driving his brown convertible on Friday in Yountville, a town in the heart of wine country, when he struck a legally parked car on the side of the road, briefly stopped and then drove away, the Napa county sheriff's office said in a statement. No injuries were reported.Guardian staff contributed reporting Continue reading...

Incidents involving California state senator Scott Wiener and New York congressman Dan Goldman underscore Israel-Palestine conflict's role in US electionsTwo recent incidents involving US congressional candidates on opposite coasts have blown up into major controversies, underscoring how the Israel-Palestine conflict has transformed US elections - and illustrating how aggressive protest tactics can spark backlash that overshadows the issues activists meant to highlight.Scott Wiener, a gay Jewish state senator and trans rights advocate who is currently the frontrunner in the race to replace the longtime representative Nancy Pelosi in California's 11th district, said he felt forced to leave last week's annual trans pride march in San Francisco after a group of people ran up to him at a local park where the event was taking place, surrounded him and screamed at him over his positions on Israel's war on Gaza. Continue reading...

In dueling speeches this weekend, the New York mayor faced a nation of contradictions' while the president offered a stump speechIf Donald Trump's address on 3 July from Mount Rushmore will be remembered at all, it will be because that was the day of competing speeches, and competing visions, of the United States. Earlier on 3 July, the New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, delivered a speech that was about half as long as Trump's 28-minute address, but one that offered a far different assessment of the challenges facing his city and our nation.We see a city of contradictions within a nation of contradictions," Mamdani said, while seated at George Washington's desk and flanked by newly naturalized American citizens. We see the wealthiest country in the history of the world - one where children go to sleep hungry while the world's first trillionaire hungers for more."Moustafa Bayoumi is the author of the award-winning books How Does It Feel To Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America and This Muslim American Life: Dispatches from the War on Terror. He is professor of English at Brooklyn College, City University of New York Continue reading...

The party colors are a surprisingly recent tradition. But do they really represent the diversity of Americans' beliefs?Color has long played a role in US politics.In 1867, US suffragists Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton adopted the yellow color of the sunflower - Kansas's state flower - during their campaign for women's voting rights in the state. By the 20th century, suffragists added white and purple to their political uniforms": white dresses, standing for purity and moral authority, became the most notable marker of the movement. Continue reading...

Experts say Ratepayer Protection Act posing as a consumer protection measure' and will raise prices on working peopleThe bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act, designed to shield individuals from soaring electricity prices amid the datacenter boom, would fail to meaningfully protect the public from the centers' true costs, consumer advocates warn.The bill, backed by some in big tech such as Microsoft, moved through a House subcommittee in mid-June, and a vote in full committee scheduled for 1 July was delayed. Its measures are largely voluntary, meaning the state utility commissions that set electric rates can ignore the law altogether. Continue reading...

Michael Phillips says he suffers from micropenis - but he's now fundraised enough to increase his member's girthA US man who has staked the uncontested claim of having the smallest penis in the world says he has booked a procedure to enhance his member at least somewhat after soliciting the online public's financial support for that purpose.In a brief interview on Saturday, 38-year-old Michael Phillips described himself as really thankful and surprised" over the GoFundMe platform users who supported his campaign for help to pay for the procedure in question. Continue reading...

America's founding 250 years ago was a warning cry against leaders like Trump. Our past is a guide for how to handle our presentAs the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, marking the official birth of the new nation, it is worth remembering some of the reasons the document offers as just cause for making war on the British monarchy.No taxation without representation" is the slogan that is best known as the core complaint of the colonists, a reference to the colonists' objections to the 1765 Stamp Act and a series of taxes levied by the British crown thereafter over which Americans had no means of objecting in parliament. But such taxes were not the only provocation to war. Continue reading...

Would we get a 21st-century Gettysburg address? Or YMCA, gripes about his legal woes and boasting about Iran?The astronomer Carl Sagan once described Earth as a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot," he wrote.Donald Trump took the stage on Saturday night imagining himself the master of the universe, not the temporary custodian of a country born around the same time as the hot-air balloon. The last decade was proof that divine providence" had made Trump president for America's 250th anniversary of independence, his aide Stephen Miller posted on social media. Continue reading...

In late-night campaign-style speech in Washington DC, US president vows to take the US to new levels'Donald Trump has hailed the unmatched achievement and unlimited potential" of the US in a triumphalist address marking the country's 250th anniversary.In a late-night campaign-style speech in Washington DC on Saturday, the US president claimed his country was just getting started" as he vowed to take it to new levels". Continue reading...

In a political wasteland dominated by billionaires, war criminals and mega-corporations, the head of the Catholic church is a rare figure of moral leadershipWhat do Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu have in common? Answer: a chronic inability to tell right from wrong. The three leaders currently causing the most harm in the world share a predilection for violence, a chilling lack of compassion, and extraordinary self-regard mixed with paranoia. Yet the characteristic linking them most closely is their rejection of - or failure to grasp - basic moral standards. Worse, these men typically behave, in their public lives at least, in ways that are fundamentally immoral. And that's a problem for everyone. Their moral malaise is contagious.Ideas about what, in absolute terms, constitutes right and wrong are always contentious, as moral philosophers from Aristotle to Kant have shown. Pope Leo, leader of the world's Catholics, warned recently that we are living in a time when it is becoming difficult even to recognise what is truly good for everyone". Yet most people, most of the time, observe a personal moral code held in common with others. There is broad agreement, for example, that it's wrong to kill, steal, cheat and lie. In an ostensibly secular age, 76% of people worldwide identified with a religion in 2020 - a potent expression of individual and collective morality.Simon Tisdall is a Guardian foreign affairs commentatorDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

Canada battled hard but Morocco had too much quality as the co-hosts journey came to an endThe prize on offer today is a quarter-final against either Paraguay or France. There's a cheap strikethrough gag begging to be made there, and goodness knows we're cheap and jaded enough to usually do it. But nobody's taking anything for granted after Argentina's scrape with disaster against the heroic and inspired Cape Verde. Here's how last night's instant-classic antics went down in Rotterdam, where six of the Blue Sharks were born.It's the big pennant showdown ... and it's as good as a walkover for Morocco. Achraf Hakimi will hand over this uniquely shaped artefact that almost literally drips with beauty. The Arabic script translates as Royal Moroccan Football Federation, so there's no detail anywhere of today's fixture and opponent; unfortunately that's one point docked. However two bonus points are awarded for the sheer elegance of Arabic script. Total score: 11 out of 10. Continue reading...

Mt Olive Pickle Company says it was unaware image of flag was included in exhibit, and cites value of human dignity'A leading vendor of the US delicacy that is the pickle has withdrawn from the Great American State Fair in Washington DC after North Carolina's booth displayed a video containing a Confederate flag.The Mt Olive Pickle Company, which is located in eastern North Carolina and bills itself as the #1 bestselling brand of pickles, peppers and relishes in the US", told local news station WNCT it had been unaware that an image of the flag would be included in a video as part of the state's exhibit. Continue reading...

Our writers with the latest news and reaction as the last 16 stage beginsAustralia lost to Egypt on penalties in one of the more disastrous shootout cock ups. Changing goalkeepers is a bold move, especially when Mat Ryan made a right Shilton of himself.Jonathan Wilson was there. Continue reading...

Officials rescued seven other people after a sudden storm led to a boat sinking on Geneva LakeThree children died after a boat capsized on Wisconsin's Geneva Lake during inclement weather on the eve of the US's semiquincentennial celebrations, and seven other people had to be rescued by emergency responders, according to officials.A recreational motor boat with 10 passengers, including four children, sank on Friday afternoon as the boat attempted to navigate to safety as weather conditions deteriorated" amid an intense, sudden storm, the city of Lake Geneva police department said in a statement. Continue reading...

A decade in the making, the 1976 bicentennial had a cathartic impact on the wounded national polity

Pardons issued to nine people charged with violating Clean Air Act as extreme heat smothers much of USDonald Trump on Friday issued pardons to 11 men - two convicted fraudsters and nine charged with having violated the federal Clean Air Act by disabling or otherwise modifying trucks' emissions controls.Those executive pardons - coming amid US semiquincentennial celebrations blanketed in extreme heat exacerbated by greenhouse gas emissions - were among a broader wave of acts of clemency from Trump during his second presidency, chiefly for those he considers to be aligned with him. Continue reading...

National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning as high temperatures have paralyzed the east coastOrganizers of Saturday's Independence Day parade in Washington DC abruptly canceled the event late on the eve of the event, with sweltering temperatures in the nation's capital and on the east coast wreaking havoc on celebrations of America's semiquincentennial.The event, hosted by the National Park Service (NPS), was scheduled to begin at 10.30am on Saturday. But organizers said they canceled the procession due to an extreme heart warning issued by the National Weather Service (NWS). Continue reading...

The oil giant's sponsorship deal with Fifa has featured prominently at matches in Houston. But 100 miles away in another Texas city, residents say the firm's refinery is exposing them to poisonous gases and long-term health problemsThe street is wide, its grass verges thick and scruffy after a week of rainstorms. Jamal Johnson will walk home straight down the middle carrying his plastic shopping bag, a jot of motion through the stillness. He lives in one of the modest wood-panelled houses spaced out on each side, most lovingly kept and passed through at least two generations. There is nobody else in sight, but a freight train breaks the silence, grinding left to right along the line flanking the north-facing gardens. The west side of Port Arthur, Texas, could be any lower-income neighbourhood in the southern states if it were not for the looming menace on the other side of the track.This is a sad, unsettling place. I've got a load of friends and family who've had weird diseases," says Johnson, his face contorting at the thought. He lists a grandfather and aunt who died of cancer, the latter at a young age after relocating here to care for other relatives. An uncle died with complications from ALS (motor neurone disease). You know what I'm saying? Man, they've let off all these poisonous gases; it's like that all the time. It's fucked up." Continue reading...

The congressman spent four months mysteriously away from work, but he doesn't seem to think his constituents should get mandated sick daysThe mystery of the missing congressman has finally been solved. Almost four months ago Tom Kean Jr, a Republican, vanished from public view. He missed more than 100 votes, all while continuing to collect his full taxpayer-funded salary of $174,000 along with excellent benefits. The only explanation given for his absence was a cryptic statement from his office in late April saying he was dealing with a personal health matter". Kean's father, former New Jersey governor Tom Kean Sr, further told CNN in May that his son was battling a temporary illness and would be back to work soon.This week, Kean finally resurfaced and explained that he'd been absent due to inpatient treatment for depression. Why hadn't he said anything about this earlier? Kean said he was private person by nature". Which is great, but maybe don't choose a job in public service in that case.Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

As the US celebrates 250 years, the Declaration of Independence has been curiously absent. Yet its language on the consent of the governed is more relevant than everIt's America's birthday. Ear-splitting pyrotechnics will be heard across the land tonight, as they were a few weeks ago, after the cage fight at the White House. On 24 June, the administration launched the Great American State Fair, with spectacular flyovers" from fighter jets and stealth bombers. Six 18-wheel Freedom Trucks" are barreling down the highways, bringing history-lite pop-up displays, mainly to red states. Later this summer, we will hear drivers revving their engines, deafeningly, as they leave skid marks around the National Mall during the Indy car race scheduled for 22 August. It's gonna get loud.But one guest is apparently not invited to the party. The Declaration of Independence, the reason we are convening, has been curiously absent from the lead-up. That feels strange for a document that essentially rewrote world history. Continue reading...

Pope Leo urges Americans to live up to ideals of Declaration of Independence in first key address to USPope Leo has used his first key address to his home country to praise the US history of welcoming migrants, urging Americans to live up to the ideals put forward in the Declaration of Independence.In his latest implicit rebuke to Donald Trump, the first US leader of the Roman Catholic church said the word America" had become a byword for freedom" across the world because of the way the country welcomed migrants. Continue reading...

Instead of a UFC event and poorly attended state fair, how about ditching the electoral college and a new season of Game of Thrones?I hate birthdays, especially my own, which is ominously arriving next month. I used to love them, back in those days when I had something tangible to look forward to: getting my first car, graduating high school, my first legal alcoholic drink, a new Star Wars film that's actually good. That time is long gone. I can do all those things I listed, plus I haven't seen a good Star Wars movie in more than 20 years. What am I even celebrating at 42? A slightly paunchier waistline? A larger bald spot? If the present you're getting me isn't a free Turkish hair transplant, I don't want it. I don't relish being 42, but imagine if I were 250?America (the country, not the band) turns 250 this weekend, and we're all meant to celebrate that fact on the Fourth of July. Millions of dollars have been poured into marking the occasion, though few of the events hold much appeal for me. I didn't watch the UFC event; I have no desire to watch a bunch of cars driving around in circles, and the PragerU Freedom Truck hasn't even come to my town. I couldn't even get to finally see Vanilla Ice live in concert. Like every birthday, a lot of money has poured into a day where no one has any fun. Continue reading...

Guardian readers on celebrating on Independence Day every year - and especially this yearThis Fourth of July, the United States will mark the 250th anniversary of its independence from Britain, a milestone that the Donald Trump administration is commemorating with a series of events and celebrations across the National Mall.The anniversary arrives against a backdrop of civil rights rollbacks, immigration crackdowns and strained international relations. For some Americans, however, the date carries an added layer of significance: it is also their birthday. Continue reading...

Scholars will someday wonder how the richest country in history chose to throw it all away. But the crisis has been there since the beginningThe 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence has arrived at a moment of some embarrassment for the Republic. The United States of America, established to overthrow a mad king, has elected, 250 years later, a mad king of its very own. America is setting itself on fire at its birthday party. It always had a dramatic streak.In 30 or 40 years, scholars of history, if they exist, will want to know how the richest country in history, with the world's most powerful alliance network, and a scientific and research capacity fuelled by the talent of the world, chose to throw it all away. Continue reading...

Savings plans for children born between January 2025 and December 2028 launched as president seeks electoral boostTrump accounts, a savings vehicle named after the US president and authorized by congressional Republicans, are set to go live on Saturday, offering American parents a new way to save money for their children by investing in funds managed by major Wall Street firms.All accounts established for children born between January 2025 through December 2028 - nearly the entirety of Donald Trump's second term - will receive $1,000 from the government. Parents, friends and employers will be able to deposit as much as $5,000 a year into the accounts. Continue reading...

In a speech at Mount Rushmore, the US president claimed a resurgent communist menace' posed a severe threat to the countryDonald Trump has kicked off America's 250th birthday weekend with an extraordinary partisan attack on the communist menace" in America, framing its supporters as the enemy of July 4th 1776".The US president spoke for half an hour on Friday night at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, the latest stop on his tour celebrating the milestone anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence from Britain. Continue reading...

Donald Trump has kicked off America's 250th birthday weekend with an attack on the 'communist menace' in America. The US president spoke for half an hour on Friday night at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, the latest stop on his tour celebrating the milestone anniversary of the US declaration of independence from Britain

There are plenty of reasons for Americans to feel discomfort about the behavior of their country. But sports have a way of bringing joy and unityThe US men's national team are on the verge of history. One win away from matching their best-ever run in the World Cup's modern era, they are playing with more verve and quality than they ever have before at this stage. Wednesday's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina has begotten a rarity: American soccer, in the spotlight, in America.To longtime US soccer fans, the question of whether to support this particular team at this particular time is barely a question. Or if it is one, it's vaguely along the lines of should I breathe?" Continue reading...

We assess the standing of the nations who played in the tournament's last 32 before the next round of games beginsLes Bleus look unstoppable - all six of our judges ranked them No 1. Sweden did their best to cope with the French front four but were blown away by the slickest operation in town. Even when an opponent is feeling comfortable, Michael Olise or Kylian Mbappe can produce genius without notice, ripping apart the best-organised defences. I did say that I wanted to enjoy this World Cup to the fullest," Mbappe told reporters after the Sweden game. It is hard to imagine the fun stopping any time soon. Continue reading...

From the gold rush to civil rights, the moon landing to 9/11, the US has always understood, mythologised and sold itself through the power of the still imageThe United States was founded in 1776, but did not begin to see itself until the autumn of 1839, when daguerreotypes, the first form of photograph, reached American cities. You could argue the US began again on the morning it could look at its own face.At first photography seemed to answer the democratic promise of 1776. A portrait was no longer reserved for the rich; almost anyone could now leave a trace of their existence. The gold rush became one of the first great American dramas to find the camera: ordinary diggers squinting into the lens, looking beyond it for gold. A more emblematic American scene can scarcely be imagined: what would be called the American Dream, a lottery everyone plays and very few win. The myth was not that they all found gold - it was that the search itself made them American. Continue reading...