The semiquincentennial law specifically identified four leading cities for anniversary events.
Those cities are Boston, Philadelphia, New York City, and Charleston, South Carolina. Each has major connections to the American Revolution and the nation’s founding history. The legislation directed organizers to consider historically significant locations rather than concentrating every observance in one place.
Boston was central to early resistance and revolutionary conflict. Philadelphia hosted the Continental Congress and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. New York City was an important colonial and revolutionary center, while Charleston played a major role in the southern theater of the Revolution.
The four-city list does not mean that America250 activities are limited to those places. The commission’s broader mission is nationwide, involving states, territories, museums, historic sites, schools, and local communities across the United States.