Poll finds 47% of Americans unaware of America 250 celebration

Ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary on Saturday, a new survey released on Thursday shows that nearly half of Americans are unsure of what the milestone commemorates. The poll, conducted nationwide by the libertarian think tank Cato Institute, asked respondents to identify the event that the anniversary celebrates.

Only 53 percent of those surveyed correctly answered that the day marks the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The remaining 47 percent either gave incorrect answers or indicated that they did not know the significance of the anniversary. The study highlights a sizable gap in public knowledge about a foundational moment in American history as the country prepares to observe its quarter‑century milestone.