Nearly half of Americans don't know what America 250 marks

A new Cato Institute and Morning Consult survey of 2,253 U.S. adults found that 46% of Americans did not know what America’s 250th anniversary commemorates. Just 53% correctly said it marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence, underscoring a striking gap as the country moves toward its semiquincentennial.

The same poll showed that patriotism still runs deep. Eighty-six percent of respondents said they are grateful to be American, 79% said they are proud to be American, and 70% said the nation’s founding principles remain relevant today. The results point to a public that still expresses strong attachment to the country while struggling to identify the milestone being prepared for across Washington and beyond.

America250, the national nonpartisan organization charged by Congress with engaging Americans in the commemoration, says the effort runs through July 4, 2026. Congress established the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission in 2016, and federal materials say July 4, 2026, will be the nation’s semiquincentennial anniversary, marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed. The White House has also adopted its own Freedom 250 branding, saying the July 4 celebration will mark “250 years of American Independence.”

The findings come as other polling suggests broader uncertainty about the country’s direction. An AP-NORC America 250 poll found that just one-third of the public believes the American Dream still exists, a sign that national pride and confidence in the country’s promises are not moving in lockstep. As July 4, 2026, approaches, America250 is trying to turn the anniversary into a national moment that more Americans can name as well as celebrate.