The 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence has come and gone. If the Americans had not won the Revolutionary War, which continued for more than five years afterwards, the Declaration probably would have been just a blip on the screen of history. The Declaration of Independence did not instantly create America as we know it today. After North Carolina’s representatives had signed the Declaration, they needed to meet and figure out the next step. Bob Rosser is project coordinator for the John Locke Foundation America’s 250th celebration.