250 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

How to Solve This Crossword Puzzle
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Welcome to the Semiquincentennial Independence Crossword! This puzzle celebrates 250 years of United States history, from 1776 to 2026. Please print out the grid and use the Across and Down clues to solve this puzzle. A solution is provided separately for download. Follow these directions to complete the grid:

1. Understand the Grid Layout
  • White Squares: These form the intersecting paths where you will write your answers.
  • Black Squares: These are blank spaces that separate different words. They do not contain letters.
  • One Letter Per Square: Write exactly one letter in each white square.
  • No Spaces or Symbols: Ignore spaces, hyphens, or punctuation in your answers. For example, if the answer is "BUNKER HILL", write it as BUNKERHILL. [1, 2, 3]

2. Decode the Clues
  • Across Clues: These answers read horizontally from left to right.
  • Down Clues: These answers read vertically from top to bottom.
  • The Clue Numbers: Locate the small number in the upper-left corner of a grid square. Match that number to the corresponding clue in the "Across" or "Down" lists to find where your answer begins. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

3. Use Intersecting Letters
  • Horizontal and vertical words share letters where their paths cross.
  • If you get stuck on a difficult clue, solve the connecting words around it first. The letters you fill in will provide helpful hints for the missing word. [1]

4. Double-Check Your Work
  • All answers are spelled using standard American English.
  • Every letter must perfectly fit both the horizontal and vertical words that share its square. If a word doesn't fit the available spaces, re-examine your answer!
Picture
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Across

​2. - Civil War turning point where a famous three-minute address was delivered.
7. - Colonial militia members famously ready to deploy at a minute's notice.
11. - The series of 85 essays arguing for ratification of the Constitution.
13. - The foundational ideal that all citizens share identical protections under law.
14. - The exact count of original colonies that initially declared statehood.
15. - The national bird and enduring animal symbol of American freedom.
17. - The historic movement and eventual constitutional amendment securing the right to vote.
19. - A system of government by the whole population through elected representatives.
20. - The crucial wartime pact formed with France in 1778 that secured vital
22. - Early major battle fought near Boston in 1775.
23. - The legislative branch of government established by Article I.
24. - The supreme law of the United States, framed in 1787.

Down

1. - Legendary diplomat, scientist, and colonial postmaster general.
3. - The core political principle of absolute independent authority and self-governance.
4. - The historical military nickname for British infantry soldiers.
5. - The fundamental state of being free from oppressive political restrictions.
6. - The continuous historical process of arriving to live permanently in the U.S.
8. - The entire war fought to break free from British imperial rule.
9. - City where the Declaration of Independence was debated and signed.
10. - A formal structural change or addition made to the text of the Constitution.
12. - The grueling winter encampment site of Washington's army in 1777–1778.
16. - The brilliant Virginian statesman who drafted the text of the Declaration.
18. - The commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the war.
21. - Term for a colonist who vigorously supported the American Revolution.
22. - The collective name given to the first ten constitutional amendments.

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