Halloween was introduced to the United States by Irish and Scottish immigrants in the mid-1800s. Read how it became the very American holiday we know today, including how railroads and telegraphs helped shape its evolution and the story of the woman who invented “trick or treat.” This article also includes an activity for kids to write a Halloween story and design a costume. Reading Level: Grade 8 America250 is a multi-year effort to commemorate the semiquincentennial, or 250th anniversary, of the United States. The purpose of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, created by Congress, and the corresponding America250 Foundation is to catalyze a more perfect union by designing and leading the most comprehensive and inclusive celebration in our country’s history. America250 represents a coalition of public and private partners working together to create initiatives and programs that honor our first 250 years and inspire Americans to imagine the next 250.