The United States celebrated its bicentennial during the nationwide observances of 1976.
A bicentennial marks 200 years. The 1976 observances commemorated the events leading to the creation of the United States and culminated on July 4, the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s adoption.
The celebration was organized through federal bodies including the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission and the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration. It included public ceremonies, exhibitions, patriotic decorations, commemorative souvenirs, and special United States currency designs.
The anniversary terminology can cause confusion. The centennial was held in 1876, the sesquicentennial in 1926, and the semiquincentennial arrives in 2026. The 1976 bicentennial therefore sits exactly between the 1926 150th anniversary and the 2026 250th anniversary.