American Revolution

As Americans honor the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026, people around the world are joining them in marking the occasion. Other countries are commemorating America’s founding in a variety of ways, from minting coins and planting trees to flying over U.S. cities.

Kaci McEwan’s tribute is a red, white and blue tartan made with threads signifying early milestones in American history. “For me, the tartan was about telling a story,” said McEwan of Scotland’s Heriot-Watt University’s School of Textiles and Design. “Every thread and colour represents a moment in the journey towards the Declaration of Independence.”

Her Old Glory-themed take on the traditional Scottish pattern has been selected to serve as a symbol of the close cultural ties between the United States and Scotland. McEwan will deliver the tartan to Washington on July 4, Independence Day.

Here are a few more ways other countries are honoring America’s 250th birthday.

Left: Red, white and blue tartan-patterned scarf (© Heriot-Watt University) Right: Large commemorative coin (Courtesy of the British Embassy) — An American-themed tartan design and an oversized coin from the U.K. Royal Mint commemorate the founding of the United States. (© Heriot-Watt University), (Courtesy of The British Embassy)

At the time of King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s visit to the White House in April, the United Kingdom’s Royal Mint issued a commemorative coin in honor of America’s 250th anniversary celebration. The large decorative coin features King Charles III on one side and America’s national bird, the bald eagle, on the other.

“Every detail tells a story of independence, partnership and the values that continue to unite our two nations,” the British Embassy in Washington said in April, when U.K. Ambassador to the United States Christian Turner delivered the coin to the White House.

Japan gifted the United States 250 new cherry blossom trees for the anniversary. The trees will replace aging ones dating to Japan’s original 1912 gift of 3,020 cherry blossom trees. The blossoms draw 1.5 million people a year to Washington for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, a springtime tradition that honors the friendship between the United States and Japan.

The United States has sent dogwood trees to Japan in return, establishing a unique diplomatic tradition. President Trump has praised the cherry blossom trees as a “living symbol of the cherished friendships” between our two nations.

Left: Trees being planted (NPS) Right: A 3-masted tall ship (© Fabrizio Villa/Getty Images) — Left: National Park Service employees plant new trees from the government of Japan in Washington. Right: The Italian Navy’s Amerigo Vespucci will visit the U.S. in July. (NPS), (© Fabrizio Villa/Getty Images)

The Spanish Royal Mint has issued three limited-edition coins paying tribute to early ties between the United States and Spain. The coins honor Spanish-born Jordi Farragut, who fought alongside the Continental Army in the American Revolution, as well as Spain’s King Charles III, who supported America’s fight for independence from Britain. The third coin recognizes an early U.S. coin modeled after Spanish currency.

The French Air and Space Force’s aerobatic flight team, the Patrouille de France, is commemorating France’s support for the American Revolution with a monthlong tour of flyovers of major East Coast sites, culminating July 4. Dubbed Liberté 250, the mission features aircraft painted red, white and blue in honor of the American and French flags and bearing the names of U.S. Founding Fathers Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.

French pilots will fly alongside American counterparts with the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force’s Thunderbirds.

The Italian Navy’s Amerigo Vespucci, a tall sailing ship named for the 16th-century explorer who became a namesake for the United States of America, will visit New York City July 4. The Vespucci will participate in Sail4th 250 , a parade of ships from 20 countries, including Argentina, Germany, the Netherlands and Peru, making it the largest international maritime gathering in modern American history.

As the civic holiday some refer to as Simcoe Day approaches, I wish to shine light on Upper Canada’s first lieutenant-governor.

Born Feb. 25, 1752, in England, John Graves Simcoe, although best known as lieutenant-governor, was also a member of British Parliament, colonial administrator, army officer, and commander of the Queen’s Rangers during the Revolutionary War.

Largely comprised of Loyalists and deserters from George Washington’s army, the Queen’s Rangers were named in tribute to Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George the Third. As a 400-man elite fighting force, established during the Seven Years War (1756-1763), they trained in woodcraft, scouting and guerilla warfare. Simcoe didn’t follow the protocol of the time of strict and rigid maneuvers. The Rangers wore green uniforms for camouflage, depended on speed and surprise, and were known to defeat forces three times their size.

Simcoe took time from the war to pursue a young lady named Sarah “Sally” Townsend. On Feb. 14, 1779, he sent her a poem in which he extolled her beauty and his love for her – the first recorded Valentine’s Day letter in North America.

That year Simcoe was ambushed by rebels, captured and imprisoned in New Jersey. He was treated harshly and his one attempt at escape was foiled. He was finally released on the signature of Benjamin Franklin as part of a prisoner of war exchange.

Following the defeat of the British at Yorktown in 1781, Simcoe spirited the Queen’s Rangers colours to England. Today they are on display in the officers’ mess of the Queen’s Rangers at Fort York, Toronto.

Simcoe returned to England, married Elizabeth Posthuma Gwilliam and was elected Member of Parliament for the borough of St. Maws, Cornwall.

On Sept. 12, 1791, Simcoe was appointed lieutenant-governor of the newly-created Upper Canada.

With his appointment, Simcoe had a goal to develop Upper Canada as a model community with aristocratic and conservative principles, and to demonstrate the superiority of these ideas in contrast to the Republicanism of the United States.

He opened the first elected parliament in what is now Ontario 225 years ago on Sept. 17, 1792. He is credited for installing British common law, trial by jury, the standardization of weights and measures and the establishment of Ontario’s system of municipal government.

In 1793, under Simcoe, the assembly passed the first act against the importation of slaves in the British Empire. Slavery had completely ended in Upper Canada before it was abolished in the British Empire as a whole in 1834.

Simcoe realized Newark was an unsuitable capital because it was on the border and open to attack. He suggested moving the capital to a defensible position, named the location London and renamed its main river the Thames. This proposal was rejected, but Simcoe’s second choice, the present site of Toronto, was accepted. The capital was moved there in 1793 and renamed York.

The Queen’s Rangers were revived and Simcoe had them begin construction on Yonge Street.

Simcoe returned to England for health reasons in July 1796 and died there on Oct. 26, 1806.

Over two centuries later, many refer to the Civic Holiday in August as Simcoe Day. Attempts to give Simcoe Day provincial recognition has failed.

To celebrate Ontario’s 225^th; visit my web site at www.tobybarrett.com to test your knowledge of our province.

The Silo

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