HISTORY JULY/AUGUST 2026
250 YEARS OF THE UNITED STATES

In times of uncertainty, geopolitical turmoil, and deep internal division, only an America that understands its past can begin to address the many challenges it will face in its future. We take a look back at a series of events that have all been decisive for the formation and trajectory of a nation, of a people, and of a culture. Other features in this issue include: 

• A Sacred Valley: The highly fertile Urubamba Valley in Peru was developed by the Inca as an agricultural powerhouse to sustain their lengthy empire. Fed by a steady supply of forced labor, 
the sophisticated terraces were cultivated under the command of a select elite who studied the 
heavens from lofty palaces such as Machu Picchu.
• On the Riviera: Once the winter retreat of European aristocracy, the French Riviera owes its transformation into a summer destination peppered with artists and celebrities largely to one couple: Sara and Gerald Murphy. The pair, friends with writers of the Lost Generation and avant-garde artists of the day, brought sunbathing into style.