What term names the United States’ 250th anniversary, America250, held in 2026?

The term for the United States’ 250th anniversary, America250, held in 2026, is the United States Semiquincentennial.

“Semiquincentennial” combines Latin-derived elements meaning half of 500, or 250. It describes the anniversary of the 1776 Declaration of Independence and follows the United States Bicentennial, the 200th anniversary celebrated in 1976.

The anniversary falls on July 4, 2026, 250 years after the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. America250 is the common branding for the nationwide commemoration, while “United States Semiquincentennial” is the formal historical term used for the milestone.

Several alternative labels appear in reference works, including “sestercentennial,” “bisesquicentennial,” and “quarter millennium.” They are not the same as “bicentennial,” which means 200th anniversary, or “sesquicentennial,” which means 150th anniversary. The earlier 1976 celebration was therefore the Bicentennial, not the Semiquincentennial.