The 1976 U.S. Bicentennial marked 200 years since the Declaration of Independence.
The Bicentennial commemorated the 200th anniversary of the Declaration's adoption on July 4, 1776. Its national program included public ceremonies, historical projects, exhibitions, parades, and specially designed postage stamps and coins.
The celebration was organized over many years by federal agencies and local communities. It also prompted restoration projects and encouraged Americans to study the Revolution and the country's constitutional development.
The Bicentennial is a useful comparison for America250, but the two anniversaries are not identical in scale or terminology. The 1976 event marked two centuries, while the 2026 semiquincentennial marks two and a half centuries. Another common mix-up is assuming the Bicentennial commemorated the Constitution; its central anniversary was the Declaration of Independence, just as America250's central date is July 4, 1776.