What earlier U.S. anniversary did the 1976 Bicentennial celebrate, before the America250 observance?

The 1976 Bicentennial celebrated the United States’ 200th anniversary, before the America250 observance.

The 1976 national celebration marked two centuries since the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It involved festivals, exhibitions, parades, restorations, and special commemorative designs across the country. The term bicentennial means a 200th anniversary, so it differs directly from semiquincentennial, the term for 250 years.

The Bicentennial was not simply a single ceremony in Philadelphia. Communities across the United States organized local programs, while federal agencies produced commemorative materials and projects. The 2026 America250 observance follows the same independence-based anniversary sequence, moving from 200 years in 1976 to 250 years in 2026.