The 1976 United States Bicentennial marked 200 years of independence.
The celebration commemorated the bicentennial, or 200th anniversary, of the Declaration of Independence adopted in 1776. Events took place across the United States throughout the 1970s and reached their main national observance on July 4, 1976.
The Bicentennial included parades, exhibitions, public ceremonies, historical programs, and special commemorative objects. The period also saw the restoration and preservation of historic sites connected with the American Revolution.
America250 follows the same basic anniversary pattern at the 250-year mark. The two celebrations are separated by 50 years, making 2026 the next major national milestone after the Bicentennial. The earlier event is sometimes confused with the 1975 anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War rather than independence.