The United States Bicentennial culminated on July 4, 1976, marking the 200th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
The celebration was not a single-day event. Bicentennial observances began during the mid-1970s and included parades, exhibitions, historical reenactments, commemorative coins, special broadcasts, and community festivals. The national program honored events associated with the American Revolution and the creation of the United States.
The anniversary date referred specifically to the Declaration's adoption by the Second Continental Congress in 1776. Congress had voted for independence through the Lee Resolution on July 2, while the Declaration's final text was approved on July 4. The date became the central focus of the nationwide Bicentennial celebrations.
President Gerald Ford participated in major ceremonies in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Fireworks, naval events, tall ships, patriotic concerts, and local celebrations took place across the country. The 2026 America250 observance similarly looks back to the founding era, but marks 250 years rather than 200.