# The Semiquincentennial is approaching! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 22, 2024, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507 "2024-01-22T18:19:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507/1 "2024-01-22T18:19:42Z")
In two years the USA will celebrate 250 years of existence. I know Philadelphia is planning events for all year long. England: “250 years? We’ve got _new_ buildings that are older then that.” ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507/2 "2024-01-22T18:21:46Z")
Europeans think 100 miles is a long way. Americans think 100 years is a long time. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507/3 "2024-01-22T18:29:30Z")
I went to an English school that was founded in 1613. Later I taught at another English school that was founded in 1584. I heard of an English woman whose daughter was flying from London to New York. The woman asked relatives in San Francisco to meet her daughter at the NY airport. The Americans replied “You meet her - you’re nearer!” ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507/4 "2024-01-22T18:32:00Z")
I was only ten years old in 1976 but I remember the bicentennial being a huge thing. I _very_ vaguely remember planning for it years in advance. That doesn’t seem to be the case now, although [some people](https://america250.org/a250-leadership/) are working on it. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507/5 "2024-01-22T18:46:52Z")
I nominate Beck for the Betsy Ross role. Start sewing, kiddo, we will be cutting out stars for you. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507/6 "2024-01-22T18:50:32Z")
Oh. Dude. I have a star cutting fabric punch. Been there, done that. I’ll need stitchers. If we’re doing it the old fashioned way. I’ll plan a SD sewing bee. 😌 🇺🇲 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507/7 "2024-01-22T19:22:50Z")
A year-long celebration of patriotism? No matter who wins, we all lose. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507/8 "2024-01-22T19:32:34Z")
I think that depends on how we celebrate the anniversary. I think it will be important to recognize that American history isn’t all about a bunch of dead white guys, so we need to recognize everyone else and how they contributed. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507/9 "2024-01-22T19:44:47Z")
Obviously, we should - need to - do that. I was thinking of the response it would get from a lot of live white guys and having to live through the sludge they throw. And if we didn’t do that, the response would be loud in a very different way. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507/10 "2024-01-22T19:56:37Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I was only ten years old in 1976 but I remember the bicentennial being a huge thing. Yeah, the BUYcentennial was a pretty big thing. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I _very_ vaguely remember planning for it years in advance. That doesn’t seem to be the case now, although [some people](https://america250.org/a250-leadership/) are working on it. Semiquincentennial? Too many prefixes; does not roll off the tongue easily. Everyone’s going to wait for the tricentennial. ETA: how about a hemidemisemicentennial? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507/11 "2024-01-22T20:01:24Z")
Yes, the very word _semiquincentennial_ is a problem; seven syllables, eighteen letters. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507/12 "2024-01-22T20:19:33Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I was only ten years old in 1976 but I remember the bicentennial being a huge thing. I _very_ vaguely remember planning for it years in advance. That doesn’t seem to be the case now, although [some people](https://america250.org/a250-leadership/) are working on it. Yeah. The local paper, and the towns themselves, have been making a fuss about various anniversaries of local towns and counties, recent, current, and upcoming. I don’t think I’ve seen a word about the upcoming national one. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-semiquincentennial-is-approaching/996507/13 "2024-01-22T23:57:46Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Oh. Dude. I have a star cutting fabric punch. How big is it? I’m thinking at least a 50 foot flag.