America250 had 56 official state and territory commissions.
These commissions were created to organize anniversary activities across the country and its territories. The total reflects more than the 50 states: it includes the District of Columbia and U.S. territories participating in the national commemoration.
The commissions helped connect the federal celebration with local history, civic programs, educational projects, and public events. This structure was intended to make the 250th anniversary a nationwide observance rather than a single ceremony in Philadelphia or Washington, D.C.
The number can cause confusion because the United States has 50 states. The America250 figure counts the full network of official state, territorial, and District of Columbia commissions. It therefore describes the anniversary organization, not the number of states in the Union.