What document did the United States Bicentennial of 1976 primarily commemorate?

The United States Bicentennial of 1976 primarily commemorated the Declaration of Independence.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776, announcing that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as independent states. The 1976 observance therefore celebrated 200 years since that foundational declaration.

The Bicentennial was not limited to one day. It was a broad series of ceremonies, exhibitions, parades, performances, publications, and local events held during the mid-1970s. The celebrations connected the Revolution’s history with contemporary American culture.

The Constitution is another central founding document, but it was signed in 1787, eleven years after the Declaration. The Articles of Confederation preceded the Constitution as the first framework of the United States government, while the Treaty of Paris formally ended the Revolutionary War in 1783.