A total of 56 U.S. states and territories contributed to America’s Time Capsule.
The figure includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Together, these 56 jurisdictions supplied material for the national record created during the America250 year.
The wording can be confusing because the United States has 50 states, while America250’s representation is broader than the states alone. The official count includes Washington, D.C., and the five territories, producing 56 contributors.
The capsule also includes contributions from the three branches of the federal government, America250 programs, and national partners. Thus, 56 is the count for states, Washington, D.C., and territories—not the total number of organizations or objects inside the capsule.