The United States celebrated its Bicentennial in 1976, marking 200 years since the Declaration of Independence.
The anniversary was observed across the country with parades, exhibitions, concerts, educational programs, and specially designed patriotic materials. It culminated on July 4, 1976, two centuries after the Declaration was adopted in Philadelphia.
The Bicentennial was not limited to one city or one official ceremony. Communities created local projects, while the federal government issued commemorative coins and postal items. The period also produced a lasting visual style built around the number 76, red-white-and-blue imagery, and references to the American Revolution.
The Bicentennial provides the immediate historical comparison for America250. The 2026 semiquincentennial follows the same 250-year founding timeline, although its programs are being organized for a much larger and more modern national audience. The earlier anniversary also helped popularize the idea of commemorating major milestones through nationwide civic participation.