In America250, what anniversary is the United States celebrating on July 4, 2026?

America250 celebrates the 250th anniversary of American independence on July 4, 2026.

The anniversary marks the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The document announced that the Thirteen Colonies regarded themselves as free and independent states rather than part of the British Empire.

The term “semiquincentennial” means a 250th anniversary. America250 is the popular name associated with the United States Semiquincentennial and the national commemoration planned around it. Congress established the United States Semiquincentennial Commission in 2016 to help organize the observance.

A common mix-up is calling the occasion the anniversary of the Constitution. The Constitution was signed in 1787, eleven years after the Declaration, so the 2026 celebration specifically centers on independence and the events of 1776.