The United States Semiquincentennial in 2026 marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence.
The anniversary commemorates the Second Continental Congress adopting the Declaration on July 4, 1776. The term “semiquincentennial” means a 250th anniversary: “semi” indicates half, and “quincentennial” refers to 500 years.
America250 is the commonly used name for the national effort surrounding the anniversary. Its celebrations recognize the founding era, the Declaration, and the continuing history of the United States rather than treating July 4, 1776, as the date the Constitution was created. The Constitution was written later, in 1787.
The 2026 anniversary follows the United States Bicentennial in 1976, which marked 200 years since the Declaration. The next major round-number anniversary of the Declaration will be its 300th anniversary in 2076.