WASHINGTON — Nearly half of Americans do not know that the nation's 250th anniversary commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, according to a new national survey released as the United States marked its semiquincentennial on Saturday, underscoring gaps in public knowledge despite broad expressions of national pride.
The survey, conducted by the Cato Institute in partnership with Morning Consult, found that 46% of U.S. adults either incorrectly identified the event being commemorated or said they were unsure. Just over half, 53%, correctly identified the anniversary as marking the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The poll surveyed 2,253 adults nationwide.
Generational differences were pronounced. According to the survey, 61% of Generation Z respondents failed to identify the anniversary correctly, a higher share than among older Americans. Some respondents mistakenly believed the anniversary marked events such as the landing at Plymouth Rock, the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, the first presidential election or the end of the Revolutionary War.
Despite those gaps in civic knowledge, the survey found strong expressions of national attachment. About 86% of respondents said they were grateful to be American, while 79% said they were proud to be American. A majority also said the nation's founding principles remain relevant today, although many believed the country has moved away from those ideals.
The findings came as communities across the United States held parades, fireworks displays and other events marking the country's 250th anniversary. Separate Reuters/Ipsos polling conducted in June found that while about four in five Americans planned to celebrate Independence Day, many viewed the holiday primarily as a time to spend with family and friends rather than as a major national milestone. The Reuters/Ipsos survey also found political divisions shaping public attitudes toward the anniversary and the country's future.
Other recent polling has pointed to relatively modest public engagement with the anniversary before the celebrations. A Marquette Law School national survey released in late June found that only about one-quarter of Americans said they had read or heard a great deal about the 250th anniversary, while most reported only limited familiarity with the commemoration.
The United States officially marked 250 years since the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, with commemorative events taking place nationwide.
